


Betrothed  (Hate at First Sight)

by KarnsteinRosenberg



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types, Carmilla - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Genre: AU human, Arranged Marriage, Bickering & Bantering Hollstein, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Forced Marriage, Hate to Love, Hollstein Pre-Arranged Marriage, Hollstein Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2018-04-12 19:18:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4491585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KarnsteinRosenberg/pseuds/KarnsteinRosenberg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura Hollis was forced by her father to marry a certain Carmilla Karnstein, someone she does not love and had not met yet, in order to save him from financial ruins.  </p>
<p>Carmilla Karnstein was forced by her mother to marry a certain Laura Hollis the daughter of a famous rich family, someone she had not met yet and does not give a damn meeting, in order for her mother to be accepted in the old rich society of Austria.  </p>
<p>Not wanting to be trapped in a loveless marriage, Laura escaped from her father and from her engagement.  While hiding from her family, she met an arrogant, spoiled, irresponsible and sarcastic girl who made her life crazy.  Little did she know that the very person she hated was the one that was betrothed to her.</p>
<p>What will Laura and Carmilla do when they find out that they were betrothed to each other?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Carmilla and all of the characters from Carmilla the series are not mine. I’m just borrowing them to make some Hollstein goodness and not gaining anything from them.
> 
> Note: This is AU, Romance and a bit comedy. I thought I'll give Hollstein a try on this fic that's based on one of my original fanfics from another fandom (from chapters 1-7). Chapters eight and onwards would be purely based on Hollstein. English is not my first language so if you think there’s some grammar errors please feel free to give some feedbacks and constructive criticisms. I would appreciate any kinds of feedbacks. I will add the name of the other characters in every update.

"How could you do this to me?" the young lady blurted out angrily after her mother told her the news. They remained seated at the dining table. 

"It's already fixed," the elderly woman said to her furious daughter as she took a sip of red wine. 

"Mother, I don't want to marry someone I don't love!" She turned to her mother, begging for understanding and placed her hands on the table. 

"Kitty, Mother has a perfectly good explanation for doing this," was all the young man who was sitting beside her could say and look at her anxiously. 

"What?!" she snapped, not wanting to believe what she had just heard. Her brother agreed to her mother's plan for her. "And what could be the perfect explanation for that?" she retorted.

"No more questions!" the woman shouted. "You're going to marry John Hollis' daughter, and that's final!" she declared and banged her free hand on the table. 

"And you're not going to dictate my future!" the young woman retorted vehemently, and hurriedly rose from her seat and walked away. 

 

"Come back here, young lady!" 

 

She heard her mother shout, but she ignored her and walked further out of the room. 

 

On her way out, she could still hear her mother’s fuming remarks. 

 

"William! Talk to your sister and tell her that I'm going to disinherit her if she doesn’t do what I say!" She heard her mother’s furious remark. 

 

***

 

A few days ago...

 

"How bad is it?" asked the man in the dark suit, as he paced to and fro inside the office of John Hollis. 

 

"I need fourteen million to put it back together," said the man seriously. He worried over where in the world he would get that amount. 

 

"But why did you have to gamble that much?" returned the man with light hair as he continued his pacing. 

 

"Don't question me about what I should do with my money!" he reprehended, angered by the remarks of his legal adviser. "It's your job to figure out how I won’t lose my business!" With that, he rose from his desk and stormed out of the room, leaving behind the man in the black suit with a heavy burden on his shoulders. 

 

The name Hollis had been an influential and respected name in the wine business in Vienna, Austria. For generations, it preserved its wealth by maintaining the business within the family. However, that tradition was about to be broken if his client couldn’t raise fourteen million euros lost in gambling. And now, Geir Berg, had been left again with the immense task of how to restore the Hollis’ wealth while maintaining its’ good name in elite society; All due to the impulsive gambling of his client. 

 

Two days later... 

 

The man's brooding was cut short when his lawyer entered the room with a briefcase in his right hand and a worried look on his face. 

 

"So, what have you got?" the head of the Hollis’ company asked. 

 

"I have tried asking all your friends," Berg started, as he sat on the chair opposite his anxious client. "Unfortunately they've all refused to invest fourteen million in your company after they learned about your gambling." 

 

"That son of a bitch!" John Hollis cursed. He stood up and paced, furious about what his co-player had done to his life. "Why did he have to tell my friends that I lost in that stupid game!" 

 

"I'm sorry to tell you this," Berg said apologetically, and waited for a moment before telling another news to his client. "However..." he started, and yet hesitated "there is one person who is offering you the fourteen million, but..." he had not finish the sentence yet... 

"Then why didn't you say so!" John Hollis exclaimed instantly. His face brightened with shrewdness upon hearing the sound of fourteen million. "But what?" he asked. 

 

"Here you go." Berg gave the paper to his client and carefully watched his expression. 

 

After reading the whole page, his client handed it back to him, looked at him with resolve and said, "Prepare the papers, tell her I'm accepting the offer." 

 

"Are you sure about this?" Berg asked, surprised at the answer. "Don't you think that you should ask..." 

 

"I'm certain about this," Hollis interrupted as he glared at the man in front of him. 

 

***

 

The following day, Geir Berg handed over the papers that his client needed to sign. "Is this the last one?" John Hollis asked impatiently. Geir just nodded, sadness and regret lining his face. 

 

*** 

Two days Ago… 

 

Laura’s father had been a widower for four years now, and ever since her mother, Margareth died, everything in the Hollis’ household changed. Laura had been greatly affected when her mother died, she recalled her father John Hollis grew more irritable each passing day and showed no interest and concerns anymore to her. He resorted to gambling as a means of forgetting his wife's death and devoted a lot of himself in his work. Since then, it never change. 

 

Despite of being deprived of a father's love and attention, Laura was thankful that she was provided with all the material things she needed and have been sent to the best schools, however, she still longed for a parent's affection. Wanting to help her father overcome his loneliness, Laura remained living with her father, due to a promise once made. 

 

On her mother's deathbed, Laura recalled her mother's wish; that she stay with her father until she was able to find a wife of her own, since her mother knew that her father cannot take her death very well. 

 

Laura had always been a good daughter, and had endured all her father's irascibility. She always made sure to obey him. But her docility resulted to her not having a single girlfriend. Her father had always threatened those potential suitors and would always look down on each of them. No one had passed John Hollis’ standard for his daughter's partner, and now at 21, Laura unfortunately had never experienced having a girlfriend. Sure, she had some flings before, but never someone she had been serious with, for fear that her father might hurt the person. And still, she remained an obedient child. 

 

But little did she know, that her future had already been decided and sold to unknown person… 

 

"Laura, are you there?" a female voice asked, after tapping on the door of her room. 

 

Realizing that it was her cousin, "Yes, Betty," she replied right away and opened the door. "You need anything?" 

 

"Uncle wants to talk to you," Elizabeth informed. "He's in his study." 

 

"Okay, thanks," she uttered and hurriedly went downstairs. 

 

*** 

 

After almost an hour and after receiving the message from her father, Laura found herself crying endlessly in the seclusion of her room. She hated her father. Her future was now ruined by her father's selfishness. 

 

All throughout the night she pondered on how she would get out of this mess. When there were no more tears to cry when her anger subsided a bit. She thought of one thing to do... She hit the number two on her cell phone. 

 

It's been half an hour since she made the call and Laura found herself fidgeting in her room. 

 

"He's so unfair!" she exclaimed, furious about her father's decision. She had been a good daughter to him and patiently stayed by his side, since her mom died. But right now, she could never allow her father to ruin her life. Then she remembered what her mother told her, "I want you to marry someone for love, and not for what she had." The thought saddened her more… Her pondering was cut short when she heard a light tap on her window. 

 

"Damn! What's this all about little hottie?" the somewhat uncomfortable young man whined, after dusting off the dirt from his jeans. "I feel like we're still in High school." 

 

"I'm sorry Kirsch," Laura told her childhood best friend after she asked him to come through her room's window. "But Dad is still in his study and Beth is in the living room. 

 

"Didn't occur to you that they live here too?" her best friend joked… "Unless you're hiding somethi- ... Kirsch stopped, realizing that something was wrong. "Have you been crying?" 

 

Kirsch’ mood changed. He approached Laura’s bed and sat beside her, "Laura, are you alright?" 

 

"Nooo!" she burst out and cried at her best friend's shoulder. 

 

"What happened?" 

 

Kirsch had asked, while stroking her long blond hair. "He… He set me up with someone," Laura said in between sob. 

 

"Who?" the confused young man asked, and released Laura from the embrace. Laura just gestured on the floor referring to the one who was in the study room. "Your father?" 

Laura could just nod in reply, and went back to his arms. 

 

"Then what's wrong with that? At last! You'll gonna have a girlfriend! And you'll be free!" 

 

"You don't understand!" she exclaimed growing frustrated at Kirsch slow comprehension, and pulled out from her best friend's arms. "He arranged me to marry someone I don't love!" 

 

"Holy shit!" Kirsch exclaimed. "Why the hell would he do that?" 

 

"Because we're nearly bankrupt Kirsch," she said. "Someone had offered Dad to help him with his debts, but there's a catch: That I marry her daughter." 

 

"But that's fucking insane!" the angry young man uttered, pacing around the room "Have you met her?" 

 

"No, I haven't!" Laura returned and sighed, even the thought of meeting the woman she was destined to marry made her angrier. "And I don't even wanna know what her name is!" 

 

"So, what are you plannin' now?" was her best friend's worried question. "Don't tell me you'll gonna do it?!" Kirsch asked, she knew how kind Laura was. "Coz I'm telling you now, it's like taking a fucking suicide!" 

 

"I know, that's why I've asked you to come over," she returned, in between sobs. "Will you help me get out of here?" 

 

"It'll be my pleasure," Kirsch retorted and grinned. "I just don't understand why you still chose to stay with John the grouch. Don't get me wrong, but living here is like being in prison!" 

 

"Ok, I get the message now," she interrupted, as she noticed her best friend becoming hyper. "Will you please calm down before my father and cousin heard us." 

 

"So, where are you heading? You could live with me, if you want," was Kirsch eager suggestion. 

 

"Kirsch, you just live a block away from us," she answered. "Where do you think is the first house my dad's gonna search when he found out that I'm gone, eh?" 

 

"Oh. You're right," Kirsch returned, realizing that he's been hyper and excited by the thought of him and Laura living together. "But you're not planning on going to North Pole or Antartica, are you?" 

 

"No, you silly," she said, as she smiled a little bit from her best friend's disoriented remarks. "I'm planning to stay at my mom's old friend. You see, before my mother died, she told me about that friend of hers, and she said that if ever I would be in great trouble, all I have to do is go over there and tell her that I'm Margareth's daughter." 

 

"And how do you suppose to know, that your father won't find you there?" Kirsch asked, "She's your mother's friend, I'm sure he knew about her." 

 

"No, he doesn't," Laura said with full of assurance. "Coz she's my mom's former lover." 

 

***

 

Before the crack of dawn, with Kirsch help, Laura quietly slipped out of the Hollis mansion and headed to the train station. Her mind was fully disoriented as she fidgeted and paced to and fro at the old wooden planks of the station, her musing was cut short as she heard the chugging sound of the first train of the morning. Quickly she embarked and took a seat at a corner, where no one would recognize her. She was glad that the train was almost deserted, as it started its journey. 

 

Hours later the train arrived at its destination. When she came out of the station, she saw how small and quiet the town was and felt secured. Compared to where she lives, it felt so homey and safe. She then took a piece of paper out of her pocket and read it as she treaded along the street. 

 

***

 

When Carmilla Karnstein stormed out of her mother's house, and drove out of Styria Hills, she was full of hatred. She was already twenty-five years old, and yet, her mother was still interfering in her life. She cannot stop her though, coz even if she had chosen to live alone and stay in their old house in Styria she was still financially dependent to her mother. 

 

"Shit! I really need to get a job now," she thought, while driving in her black Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG convertible. She had been slacking up in her life since her mother was a successful and rich businesswoman. And now, her worries were overflowing as to how to fend for herself in case her mother seriously disinherits her, if she would refuse to marry the daughter of her mother’s acquaintance. "I hate her!" 

 

When Carmilla made an instant turn in one of the streets in Styria, she had no idea that she was about to encounter the person that will change her life forever… 

 

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! 

 

She hit so hard on the horn of her car, and stepped hard on the break when a certain blonde carrying a baggage and a knapsack suddenly crossed the street absent mindedly. 

 

She almost hit her. "Hey! Watch out!" she shouted to the shocked young lady who almost fainted at the sight of her car. 

 

"What the hell?!" the woman yelled back furiously, after regaining her composure. "You're the one who should watch where you're driving! You almost killed me!" 

 

"You're not lookin' where you're goin' sweetie!" Carmilla retorted, and blamed the person as she stood up in her convertible. 

 

"And you're driving like a maniac!" the blonde retaliated. "You don't own the road! I could sue you for this!" 

 

"Oh really! Go ahead, call your lawyer!" was Carmilla’s arrogant remark. "You don't know who you're messing with!" 

 

And with that, she zoomed out of the scene and left the poor blonde picking up her bags. 

 

TBC


	2. The Blaming Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura met her mother's lover and was in for a big surprise when she bumped into the least person she's expecting to see.

Moments later, after recovering from the trauma of having nearly hit by a car, Laura tried to pacify herself from that hideous vexation. The face of the driver was without a doubt, instantly engraved in her memory after the nasty incident. She had never encountered such an arrogant person in her life, she thought, while gathering her things that were tossed on the ground. 

 

After surveying and perambulating the quiet dark streets of Styria, she finally found the house, and stared at the façade for a while and double-checked the number, 307. After confirming the address from the paper that she held, she treaded towards the driveway and made three steps up going to the balcony of the white painted house. Slowly, she tapped on the wooden door. After the fifth knock, the door was opened, and there, she saw a beautiful lady in her fifties, with curly red hair, and round deep-seated eyes gazing at her in total awe. She instantly crimsoned at the sudden adoration that the woman displayed and cannot help herself, but to hide her face at the back of her long golden locks. 

 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you,” the tall slim woman said. 

 

Laura responded with a bashful smile and gathered her confidence and said, “I-I’m M-Marg...” she was saying, but was immediately interrupted by the lady of the house. 

 

“I know,” was the certain reply. 

 

“Joyce? H-how did y-you...?” was the Laura’s curious question, and assumed correctly that it was Joyce, the person she was looking for. 

 

“Coz for a moment, I thought it was Margareth who was standing in my doorway,” she heard the woman confessed, after discovering the strong resemblance between her and her mother. “Please, come in.” 

 

Shyly, Laura crossed over the threshold and stood at the doorway for a while, as she waited for the woman to close the door. 

 

“So, you’ve finally come.” She heard the woman said, as she was led to the living room and they both took a seat. 

 

For a while, Laura was left without a word and was trying to determine what her mother’s former lover meant with the last sentence that was uttered. She had known her mom’s past ever since she was a teenager, and she had discovered a lot more about this woman, when her mom’s health started to deteriorate. She admitted that she’s totally curious to meet this woman, the one, her mom trusted so much. And now, Laura was bound to discover why, as she already found herself face to face with the woman her mother considered ‘my shelter’. 

 

“Isabelle Laura, right?” 

 

Suddenly she was snapped out from her reverie as she heard the woman address her. 

 

“Umm, I-It’s Laura,” she corrected, and then received a puzzled reply. “I-I preferred to be called Laura. Coz only my parents call me Isabelle.” 

 

“Oh. I understand,” the woman said. “It’s nice that you could visit me.” 

 

“I-I ran away f-from home,” she replied sheepishly, as she began to shrink in shame. “I’m h-hiding from m-my father.” 

 

“Why? What happened? Did your father hurt you?” was the worried inquiry. 

 

“No, he... he’s forcing me to marry someone I don’t love.” 

 

“What?! That fool!” was the woman’s angry reaction. “Excuse me for calling your father like that, but that’s completely absurd! How dare him, doing that to his own daughter!” 

 

“Because we’re bankrupt,” was her unashamed answer. 

 

“Bankrupt?! The Hollis’ are filthy rich, how could your father run out of money?” 

 

“Dad, had been gambling since mom died,” she finally revealed. 

 

“So, what’s got to do with your father running out of money and arranging you to marry someone?” 

 

“Coz somebody offered to help him recover all that he lost, and in return I must marry the daughter of that man.” 

 

“And your father agreed?!” 

 

Laura just nodded, as loneliness and worries covered her face, recalling the selfish decision that her father did. 

 

“That son of a bitch!” 

 

She was torn away from her thoughts as she heard the woman’s wrathful remarks, and saw her rise from the couch and started to pace around the room. 

 

“Nobody has the right to do that to you! And nobody can force you to marry someone you don’t love!” 

 

Laura just stared for a while as the woman temporarily burst into rage. 

 

“Do you know the man that your father is dealing with?” 

 

“I- I didn’t bother to ask my dad, coz I was so angry and hated him, when he informed me few nights ago.” 

 

“But why would that man want you?” 

 

“I don’t have any idea.” 

 

For a while, Laura was left wondering. So, how come the man wanted her for his daughter instead of their remaining assets? She started to become curious. She does not consider herself that beautiful and attractive, since she had long been denied of a lover, and her self confidence had sank more and more due to her father’s intrusion in her love life and for keeping her in the house all the time. She was never the perfect candidate for a wife, she thought. 

 

“Don’t worry dear, you can stay here in my house as long as you want.” 

 

Suddenly, she felt relieved upon hearing that. At last! She could now live in peace. “T-Thank you,” she mumbled in reply. 

 

“As long as you’re under my care, nobody can force you to do something that’s against your will! I’m sorry for flaring up like this... but I just can’t imagine what your father did.” 

 

“No, it’s fine,” she agreed. “I totally understand how you felt. Coz that’s exactly how my best friend reacted when I told him.” 

 

“You must be exhausted now! Come on let’s go upstairs. I’ll show you to your room, and then we could eat dinner.” 

 

As they reached the second floor of the house, she got curious, when she saw a room that seemingly occupied by a younger woman, as they passed along going to the room that she is about to sleep in. 

 

“Here’s your room, Laura. I want you to consider it as your own, since you’re like a daughter to me. Feel at home and don’t hesitate to ask me for anything.” 

 

“Thank you so much, it’s so kind of you to accommodate me. I really am grateful for all of this.” 

 

“Oh, Laura. I feel great that, I’m the person you considered you could turn to in times of trouble.” 

 

“Umm... could I ask you something, who’s sleeping on the other room? I was just curious, coz it seems...” 

 

“It’s Danny’s room. She’s studying at Silas University, trying to finish her Master’s degree. She stays in the dorm, but comes home on the weekends.” 

 

“Who’s Danny?” 

 

“She’s my daughter.” 

 

*****

 

After rounding the whole place and getting all she needed, she hurriedly headed towards the check-out section, as she neared the end of the aisle, Laura had no idea that she’s about to face again the person she hated since the first time she arrived in Styria, when her grocery cart bumped rapidly to another one. 

 

“What the...!” she exclaimed, as the toilet papers and some contents from her cart fell due to the strong impact. 

 

“Hey! You’re the one who’s...” 

 

She heard the other person was saying, but suddenly stopped as she came face to face with her. 

 

For a while Laura tried to recall where she saw the face. While her curious eyes remained glued at the mischievous dark orbs that are playfully looking at her, she was suddenly snapped from her recollection when she heard the person utter, and realized who she was staring at. 

 

“Oh, It’s you again, cutie.” Was the sarcastic remark, and Laura received a devilish grin. 

 

Annoyed at the wicked behavior, she declared irritatingly, “You really wanna kill me, don’t you?!” 

 

“What?! You’re the one who’s always blocking my way!” 

 

“Oh! So, you’re tellin’ me that it’s my fault again?!” 

 

“Well, I’m not the one who’s crossing the street absent-mindedly, and I’m not the one who’s running with the cart, cutie.” 

 

Furious at the truth, “Aargh! Why do I bother talkin’ to you!” and with that, Laura hurriedly picked those things that fell from her cart. All she wants now was to escape the sight of this arrogant brunette in front of her, she thought. But this time, she was surprised, when the person helped her gathered her things. Laura then, blushed a little bit when the brunette came upon the box of U Kotex and smiled naughtily when it was handed to her. 

 

“So, that’s why you’re flaring up, you had your monthly visitor????” 

 

Irritated at the continuous vexation from the brunette, Laura hurriedly wheeled her way out from the spot. But before she could get two meters away from the brunette, she stopped and turned around, and declared: “I am still gonna sue you!” 

 

“I’ll be waiting for it cupcake!” was the sweet sarcastic reply. 

 

*****

 

Before entering the door, Laura glanced at her watch and got worried when she saw that it was nearly lunchtime. Hurriedly, she slipped her way in the house. 

 

“There you are. I was beginning to worry about you,” she heard Joyce told her, as she arrived in the kitchen with three bags full of groceries. 

 

“I’m sorry, I just had a little trouble at the grocery store.” 

 

“Why? What happened?” 

 

“I’ve bumped into someone,” she said while putting the cartons of milk in the refrigerator. 

 

“I didn’t know that you’ve already met someone here.” 

 

“I actually didn’t know her. It’s just that, the first time I arrived here, she almost hit me while she’s driving.” 

 

“Oh my god, Laura! Why didn’t you tell me?! Have you reported it to the police?” 

 

“Well, I didn’t bother coz, I’m not hurt at all.” 

 

“But you could sue her for that.” 

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Joyce. Coz I’m hiding from my father, and if I go to the police now, they could track me here.” 

 

“Oh. I forgot.” 

 

”And besides, I really don’t wanna sue her. I mean...” 

 

“What are you sayin’? Of course you could sue anyone who almost killed you!” 

 

“Yeah, I know. But it’s kinda my fault too, coz I wasn’t lookin’, where I’m goin’,” was her sheepish remark. But then, her attention was diverted to the three plates that Joyce took from the cupboard, “Someone coming?” She asked. 

 

“Oh! I forgot to tell you. I’ve asked Danny’s best friend to come over. Coz I thought you might be bored now, staying in the house with me for three days already.” 

 

“No, I’m not. I actually like staying inside the house than going out.” 

 

“Laura, you need to get out from time to time, and since Danny is not arriving until this weekend, I’ve asked her best friend to take you out, and show you around, so that you’ll be familiarized in Styria.” 

 

“B-but, I’m just fine being here.” 

 

“No buts. After lunch, you and her are going out. She’s adorable, you’ll gonna love her. She had been like a daughter to me.” 

 

“Umm... Joyce, I-I was just worried that someone might discover who I am...” 

 

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m gonna tell them that you’re my niece, is that fine?” 

 

“Y-yeah, I guess so. Thanks.” 

 

Minutes later, after having set the last fork and knife on the table, she heard the doorbell rang twice. 

 

“That must be Carmilla, could you please get the door, Laura?!” she heard Joyce’s voice from the kitchen. 

 

Laura walked towards the door, and tried to fix her hair first, before answering it. Excitedly, she put a smile on her face, anticipating that that someone could fall for her charms. Slowly, she opened the door, not having a single hint, who, was on the other side. Right now, she was just looking forward to meet this person that Joyce considered “adorable”. But how would she take it, when she finds out that it’s the very person that had successfully plagued her for the past few days? 

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your comments and kudos :-) Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	3. SURPRISE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems faith was mocking Laura, when she finally met the best friend of Danny.

”What the hell are you doing here?!” Laura exclaimed in shock upon opening the door, and remained her eyes fixed at those familiar dark orbs, as if expecting the brunette to retaliate. But this time, she felt confident, coz she knew that she’s in her ‘territory’ and could do whatever she want with this person. She preserved her stiff and arrogant features, as if telling the intruder that she cannot hurt or humiliate her. 

 

Carmilla was then seized with surprise and became dumbfounded for a moment. She did not blink a bit, as if trying to make sure that the person in front of her was nonetheless, the snobbish girl that she kept bumping into lately. When Carmilla recovered her composure, “Me?! I think I’m the one who should ask that question. What are you doing at my best friend’s house?!” was her demanding retort. 

 

Suddenly, as Laura’s ears processed the message, all her strength and pride rapidly vanished, and instead, the table was turned on her and she was now the one in the state of immobility. Before her mouth could utter a comeback, Laura saw the brunette already passed by her, crossed the threshold and proceeded inside with such confidence. 

 

“W-what?!... She?!... Oh crap.” Laura murmured in panic, as she closed the door behind her, and treaded towards the dining room. 

 

Laura then heard Joyce’s excited voice, and realized how close this person was to the Lawrences, when she saw Joyce gave the brunette a kiss on the cheek, followed by a warm hug. Laura was still trying to forcefully absorb the whole scenario into her mind that she just stumbled onto. However, her contemplation was interrupted when she heard Joyce called for her, as her eyes searched for the older Lawrence, she was taken aback when she saw the two approaching her direction. 

 

“Laura, this is Carmilla,” Joyce enthusiastically introduced. “She’s the one I’m talking about.” And then she saw the tall lady’s smile, as if proud for introducing this certain brunette to her. 

 

Laura let a weak “hi”, and forced a smile on her face, but came out as a sarcastic grin instead. She then felt even more irritated when the brunette returned the grin too, but more wickedly than she did, as if mocking her in this awkward situation that they have gotten themselves tangled into. 

 

“Pleased to meet you... Laura,” returned the brunette, her voice seemingly annoying when she said the name “Laura”. 

 

“Likewise,” Laura remarked sarcastically, and then shifted her look to the tall slim lady. “Joyce, I’ll just take the roast out of the oven.” Was her quick excuse, and strode towards the kitchen. 

 

At lunch, Joyce dominated entirely the conversation, telling Laura stories about how Danny and Carmilla became best friends. As Joyce sat comfortably at the head of the table while relating her story, Laura on the other hand, had been aching to finish this lunch and cannot seem to calm herself on the chair, as Carmilla, who was sitting across her, kept on stealing a glance. It made her even more uncomfortable when she caught Carmilla staring at her, until she died of self-consciousness and had to compose herself on the seat. She felt that those penetrating dark eyes are beginning to swallow her composure. But she tried her best not to become affected, and continued listening to her mother’s former lover as attentively as she could. Finally, Joyce diverted her attention to the source of her annoyance, and she felt a bit relieved. 

 

“Carmilla, how come you’re late?” Joyce asked, shifting her attention to the brunette on her left. “Did you stayed all night and partied again, and woke up just an hour ago?” 

 

“Umm... no,” Carmilla answered, and then darted her look to the blonde in front of her and then back to the mother of her best friend. “Actually, I met a snob at the grocery store.” She said, while eating her pot roast. 

 

Realizing that it was her that the brunette was talking about, Laura gave Carmilla a subtle and yet searing glare. 

 

“Really? So, what happened?” Joyce asked curiously, her attention still on Carmilla while eating her Greek Salad. 

 

“Well,” Carmilla started, cutting her meat. “She accused me of killing her.” She said, and then glanced at Laura, wanting to catch the blonde’s reaction. 

 

Wondering, “Why would she tell you such things like that?” was Joyce questioning defense. 

 

Laura’s ears were already fuming red at Carmilla’s misleading, and yet, she remained cool. But her disgust was diverted to the food in front of her. 

 

“Laura, do you have a problem with your roast?” was Joyce’s unexpected question. 

 

Suddenly, Laura realized that she’s cutting her meat savagely and then saw Joyce staring at her plate. “Oh! N-No! I’m sorry, it’s just that... m-my knife. Yeah, my knife. It’s not that sharp!” was her quick alibi, and then pierced her eyes for a second to the brunette, who seemed to be amused in her chair, as she lost her poise. 

 

“So, you were saying Carmilla?” Joyce resumed her conversation with the brunette.

 

“Yeah... as I’ve mentioned,” Carmilla continued. “This snob accused me of trying to kill her, coz I’ve bumped my cart to hers, which, by the way, wasn’t my fault. Coz she’s the one who’s not looking where she’s going!” 

 

“Silly girl.” Joyce concluded, shaking her head lightly and rolled her eyes, in between bites. 

 

“That’s it!” Laura thought angrily. Her annoyance and tolerance had already reached the maximum level, and she would not let the brunette just fry her like that again. 

 

“Well, perhaps, that snob isn’t just talking about crashing your cart with hers.” Was Laura’s sweet retaliation, “Maybe, she’s talking about another bad thing that you’ve done to her.” 

 

“Like what?” was Joyce serious and curious interjection, not having the slightest idea about the brewing feud between the blonde and the brunette?

 

Growing worried, Carmilla’s face turned pale, she held her breath and waited for Laura’s reply. 

 

“Like for instance... almost running your car over her?” Laura retaliated, and grinned mischievously at the brunette.

 

The true details of the story had Carmilla squirming in her seat.

 

Joyce turned her gaze to Carmilla instantly and asked curiously, “Is that true Carmilla?” 

 

“Huh?!” Carmilla exclaimed and was caught off guard. “No! Of…Of course not!” was her rescued answer and glared back at the grinning blonde. 

 

“Of course you can’t do that dear,” Joyce took back right away. “I know how careful you are on the wheels, unlike the others, who just drive carelessly.” 

 

Carmilla was a bit appeased now, as the focus on her “little crime” was disclosed. 

 

“I swear Laura,” Joyce spoke again, finishing her salad. “I’m gonna kill the one who almost hit you! He shouldn’t be messing up with my other daughter!” the older woman declared, referring to Laura’s almost accident. 

 

The ice tea that was in Carmilla’s mouth almost splattered at Joyce’s strong declaration, Carmilla forced to swallow the liquid, but had a hard time doing it, and caused her to cough awfully. 

 

“Carmilla, are you alright?” was the older woman’s worried question, seeing that the brunette cannot seem to cease from coughing. 

 

Laura tried to suppress as hard as she could the laugh that was wanting to explode from her. She then took the napkin on the table and covered half of her face. "Karma." she thought.

 

“Are you surprised that I’ve mentioned Laura as my other daughter?” was Joyce assuming innocent question, perhaps thinking, that Carmilla was freaking out that Danny had a half- sister. 

 

“Umm... Uh huh.” Was all Carmilla could utter and nodded, still seized from that choking incident. 

 

“I’m just talking hypothetically,” Joyce explained, still totally clueless why Carmilla almost choked. “Coz Laura is very special to me. 

 

Laura then looked at Joyce and smiled at the kind remarks from her mother’s former lover, while Carmilla cannot seem to recover from coughing. 

 

“I think we should cancel the tour,” was Joyce’s worried declaration, seeing the “tour guide” was not well. 

 

“I think that’s a very good idea.” Laura affirmed. “I’ll just get the coffee and tea.” She then rose up and left the table. 

 

“Carmilla, do you need anything?” Joyce asked worriedly, while stroking Carmilla’s back. 

 

“None... I’m good.” Carmilla said. “Thanks.” 

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all your comments and kudos, I'm glad to see that you like the story even if Hollstein seemed to "hate" each other.


	4. The Birthday Celebrant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura met Danny and got invited to a party.

Carmilla forcefully tried to salvage the fragmented pieces of her vaguely erotic dream, but was rudely snatched from dreamland when the annoying sound of her phone ringing stubbornly persisted. Feeling that her body was still in the state of lethargy, she forced to move her toes first, and then she took her time to stretch each foot, followed by her arms before fumbling through the wooden table beside her bed “Who the fuck could this be?” she grumbled, as her half-opened eyes caught the sight of the numbers showing 0930 on her radio clock that was beside the cordless phone. 

“Yeah?!” she proclaimed grumpily, after seizing the receiver. As she recognized the voice on the other line, she almost hissed, “Will! What do you want?!” 

“Mother asked me to tell you, that we’re going over to your future in-laws this Sunday.” 

Carmilla jerked upright as if she was splashed with ice-cold water, she couldn’t believe what her brother just told her. “What?! I told you I don’t want to get married!” She exclaimed with frustration, and immediately sat on her bed. 

“Oh, Kitty, please be reasonable.” 

“I am being reasonable!” Carmilla retorted. “I told you that I’m not just gonna marry some girl I don’t even know!” 

“She is not just some girl, you know.” Will exclaimed, his voice apparently running out of patience from his sister’s stubbornness. “She is the daughter of one of the well-known men in Styria.”

“Well, how come I don’t know her, huh?” Carmilla returned sarcastically. “I don’t care even if she’s the daughter of the president of Austria…” 

Carmilla was about to finish what she was saying but stopped immediately when she heard the raging voice of her mother in the background, as if listening to the conversation with her brother, “Mircalla Carmilla Karnstein, if you don’t get your stubborn ass in here, I’m going to donate all your books in the public library, and you won’t have a single penny from me!” 

She was immediately frozen when she heard these threats her mother just released. “My books?” she mused in panic and seemingly contemplating now, her mother knew how she loves her precious books, and that nothing in the world could give her satisfaction but reading some of the world’s most fabulous books. 

However, her musing was interrupted, when she heard her bother, told her mother, “Mother, can I please talk to my sister alone?” She overheard her brother, ordering her mother calmly. Then there was nothing but silence, after a few seconds, “Kitty, are you still there?” 

“Yeah,” Carmilla uttered, her voice already softened, and her anger subsided. 

“Kitty, I know this is going to be hard for you,” Will explain in a brotherly calm tone. “But mother wants us to go to the Hollis’, so that you and John’s daughter could formally meet.” 

“What’s the point of meeting them?” she asked, almost whiningly. “I told you, I cannot marry someone I don’t love!” 

“I know how you feel right now, but mother had been furious since you left the house,” Will’s voice was beginning to break. “Kitty, could you just please do this for me. Let’s just get this over with and meet them. And if you think that she is not suitable for you, I’ll be the one to convince mother about this,” Will explained. “Is that alright with you?” 

“I guess so,” was her defeated reply. 

Carmilla knows that her brother never beg her to do something unless it is really important. Her grandmother used to tell her that she is the mirror of her mother’s youth and temperament that was why they always clashed. 

“So, we’ll see you on Sunday, then?” Will asks hopefully. 

“Just promise me that you’ll get me out of this mess,” was her firm reply. 

“I’ll do my best.” Her brother reassured. 

*****

The following day… 

The Hollis’ mansion had never been the same again after Laura left. And now, Beth, Laura’s cousin, was facing a very critical situation: experiencing the worst display of temperament of John Hollis.

“Beth!” she heard the harsh voice of an angry man who was in the study room. 

“Yes uncle, I’m coming!” she replied at once, with fear in her timid voice. 

As she opened the door, she saw John Hollis seated at his favorite leather chair with a bottle of whisky in his hand, every evening, she always sees him with different hard liquor, and every evening she had to deal with this temperamental and frightening mood of her uncle. 

“Any news yet?” the fussy man asked, as his chair turned around to face the young woman. 

Beth could feel that each day that passed, seemed to be more excruciating than the other, when she had to report again and stood on the same spot, with just two meters away from the wicked man. “I’m sorry uncle, but they haven’t found her yet.” 

“Those useless pricks!” he cursed those private detectives that he had hired since the day Laura disappeared. 

“With all due respect sir, don’t you think we should call the police now?” Beth hesitantly suggested. 

“Don’t you have brains?!” John Hollis snarled. “If you report to the police that your cousin is missing, Karnstein would find out, and we’re all going to live on the streets tomorrow!” 

“Sorry, uncle,” she said right away, and bowed her head. 

She knew that the man was in much stressed now, after they received a call from the Karnsteins last night and informed them that they want to meet Laura formally and would come on Sunday for dinner. 

“Call Karnstein tomorrow, tell her that Laura was hospitalized and needed to stay there for a while.” 

“Yes uncle. Would that be all?” she asked with trembling voice. 

Beth did not receive a reply, and instead the man just turned his back and began to sulk again in the darkness of his study room. She knew instinctively that it was her cue to leave now. But how long could they keep Laura’s disappearance a secret? How many more excuses does she have to tell the Karnsteins that they cannot meet Laura yet? How long would she have to lie for her uncle’s sake? She heard from the legal adviser that her uncle had already received half of the amount that they have agreed upon to. And knowing John Hollis, he might have spent most of the money already… 

***** 

“Mom! I’m home!” was the cheerful call that Laura heard after the door banged closed. 

“That must be her.” Laura thought, with the name of Danny ringing in her thoughts at once. She then started to fidget in her bed, and did not know if she’s going to meet the young woman immediately or she just have to present herself at once. Reluctantly, she went downstairs but before she could land the first floor, she saw the door opened and in came Joyce with bags of groceries. 

"Hi Laura!” Joyce greeted her with a smile. 

“I-I think your daughter is already here.” Laura said, and took the other grocery bag that Joyce was carrying. 

But before the older woman could utter a reply… 

“Mom!” 

Laura then caught the sight of a beautiful tall redhead emerging from the kitchen, with a bottle of milk on her hand, and ran towards Joyce’s direction and embraced her mother. After releasing from the embrace, Joyce turned to her to introduce the young lady who was about a few years older than her. 

“Laura, this is my daughter, Danny.”

“Hi! Nice to meet you,” was the friendly remark and shook her free hand. 

“Danny, Laura is going to stay with us for a while,” Joyce informed her daughter with a smile. 

“Cool! Are you my mom’s friend?” the young lady asked, as they walked towards the kitchen. 

“I… I’m…” Laura was saying, and the fear of revealing her identity had overcome her again. 

“She’s your distant cousin.” Joyce finished, realizing that she was still not comfortable on revealing her real identity, except to her.

“I didn’t know that I have a cute cousin like you!” Danny teased and looked at Laura adoringly, as the taller redhead took the brown paper bag from her mother and started to take the grocery items out. 

Laura blushed on the spot and cannot seem to reply on Danny’s remark, while she unloaded the fruits and vegetables from the grocery bag that she was carrying and put it straight to the fridge 

“So, where are you from?” Danny asked, while putting the boxes of cereals on the cupboard. 

“Danny, can’t you just stop asking Laura too many questions for a minute,” Joyce uttered, noticing that she was getting uncomfortable now at each query Danny asked. 

“Oh! I’m sorry. I just seem to ramble on and on when I just met someone new.” 

Laura gave the charming redhead a timid smile, and resumed putting the remaining carrots in refrigerator. Danny was such a charming woman, she thought. 

“Will you girls help me make dinner?” Joyce asked. 

Three hours had already passed after dinner, with unwanted questions from Danny being blocked and answered by Joyce throughout the dinner. Laura was now left in the stillness of her room and was contemplating about the things and responsibility that she was now escaping. However, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a tap on her door. 

Assuming that it was the older Lawrence, “It’s open Joyce!”  
“Hey, did I wake you up?” a low young voice asked, seeing that the room was already dimly lit. 

Laura quickly got up and sat on her bed upon finding Danny by the door, “No, you didn’t… Come in.” 

Danny approached her bed and sat on the side. 

“I was just wondering if you’d like to hang out with me tomorrow?” Danny started. “My mom told me that you never get out of the house, except when you need to go to the grocery store.” 

Laura’s cheeks became pink and timidly broke her eye contact with Danny. “Did Joyce ask you to take me out? Coz she’s been telling me to go out. But I told her that I’m just fine being in the house. So, you don’t have to worry about me too.” she revealed and smiled at Danny.

“Yeah, my mom told me that you haven’t seen the whole town yet,” Danny replied, and made herself comfortable on the bed by squatting her long legs. “But I was wondering if you could go with me to the mall tomorrow and help me buy a birthday gift too.” 

“Well, I don’t have anything to do tomorrow,” Laura replied. 

“I’ll take that as a yes, then?” Danny asked hopefully. 

“Yeah, sure.” Was Laura’s convinced answer, and gave Danny a nod. 

“That’s great!” Danny exclaimed happily, and rose from the bed and headed to the door. “You could come with me to the Silas Cat Club too! Okay, goodnight!” she proclaimed excitedly. 

 

*****  
The following day… 

 

After eating brunch she and Danny did not waste any time and went out right away. Danny showed her around first so that she would be familiarized with the town. They went to the mall first and then afterwards, Danny decided to take a rest and hanged at the Styria Café. 

The sun was nearly down, as they both relaxed and enjoy their hot drinks, while watching the people that passed along the small café. They seemed to have accomplished a lot of things today. Danny and she shopped for some jeans and tops, seeing that the season was already getting warmer. However, Danny almost forgot the reason why they needed to go to the mall. 

Panicking, “Damn! I forgot about the gift!” Danny exclaimed. 

“Oh my gosh! Why didn’t I remember that too?!” was Laura’s baffled remark. Then suddenly, her eyes caught a little store by the end of the street. “Would you like to check that shop over there?” she told Danny and diverted her sight on the far away end. 

Danny stood up and stepped out of the place, followed by her. “The Magic Cat?” Danny mumbled, perplexed. 

“Yeah. It sounds like there are a lot of unique and unusual stuffs there.” Laura suggested. 

“Well…” Danny trailed off, a bit reluctant of her suggestion. “Oh, why not?! Let’s check it out.” Danny returned, and they headed towards the shop. 

As they opened the door, the shop was almost empty, except for the man behind the counter on the right side of the shop, as they walked further inside they were mesmerized to find different kinds of stuffs that they have not seen in a regular gift shop, or in the mall before. 

“Wow! These are awesome!” Danny exclaimed in awe, while looking at every items in the shelves. She was amaze to find a giant plastic mushrooms, an over-size ancient looking book, a dried bat wing bracelet with lots of crazy ornaments.

“Yeah,” Laura agreed, eyeing on some crystal balls, small crystal unicorns, and black crystal panthers on the other glass shelf.

A few minutes had passed and yet, they can’t seem to decide which gift to pick, finding that everything in the shop was fascinating. 

“What does your friend like?” Laura asked Danny, so that they could narrow down their options.

“She likes reading.” Danny supplied, as she continued checking the shelves in the store.

“Danny! Come here.” Laura motioned for the redhead. “How about this one?” 

“Umm… that’s quite interesting,” Danny proclaimed and took the item and scrutinized it. After a minute, “Okay, I’ll take this.” 

*****

It had been an exhausting day for her, Laura thought as she and Danny arrived at the Lawrence’s residence. It’s been a while since she enjoyed a day strolling outside, and she was glad that Danny took her out. Just as she was about to go upstairs and was planning on sleeping early: 

“You’re coming with me, right?” Danny asked her while resting on the couch. 

She then gave Danny a questioning look and stopped from taking another step to the stairs. 

“The Silas Cat Club?” Danny tried to supply Laura’s empty thoughts. 

“Haven’t we’ve gone there already?” she asked innocently, thinking that the Club was some kind of shop or boutique that they have visited and checked out this morning when she and Danny strolled along the mall and through the town. 

“What do you mean?” was Danny’s puzzled remark. 

“Haven’t we’ve shopped at that Cat club this morning?” Laura supplied. 

“No. The Silas Cat Club is not a shop,” Danny tried to enlighten her. “It’s a bar, a club that we hang around.” 

“Oh!” Laura exclaimed in understanding feeling stupid. 

Danny then approached her and pleaded, “Please Laura, say you’ll come. Pretty please?!” Danny gave her a puppy sad face look. 

“Alright!” she give in right away, thinking that she would enjoy spending the night with the very enthusiastic and funny daughter of her mother’s former lover. “I’ll just shower and change.” 

*****

An hour later, they found themselves at the entrance of a very trendy bar. Laura saw that there was a long queue by the entrance, remembering that it was Saturday night. However, Danny just walked passed the line with her following behind. She was surprised when the bouncer nodded to Danny and let them in. 

“Thanks Jake!”  
Danny smiled at the big man after patting his side arm and they passed through without any difficulty and entered the heavy door. It was way more crowded inside and the thick smoke and heavy sound of the band’s music made her head began to ache. She had been to bars and clubs, but most of them were not so crowded like this and a lot of them were exclusive and radically chic. 

Belonging to the elite crowd sure made her ignorant from this unconventional, and yet, exciting place, and now, Laura felt like she could do whatever she wants here. 

“You okay?!” Danny asked as they forced themselves and passed through the crowd. 

“Yeah!” she yelled in reply, with the loud music still playing in the background. She then noticed that Danny was looking among the crowd, as if she was searching for someone. “Are we meeting someone?” 

“What?!” Danny exclaimed. “I’m sorry, can you talk a little louder?!” 

“I said, are we meeting someone?!” Laura yelled back, as they stopped for a while in the middle of the crowd that seemed to be endlessly walking and passing by from all directions. 

“Yeah! My friends!” 

“Your friends?!” Laura replied in shocked, as the face of a certain brunette instantly flashed in her mind, and made her restless. “Just friends, not best friend, right?” she said, her eyes strained in hope, while Danny scanned the crowd for some familiar face. 

“Well, it’s actually my best friend’s birthday, and we’re celebrating it tonight!” Danny declared, clueless of the anxiety that Laura was feeling at the moment. “There they are!” Danny declared after she spotted some people at one of the tables near the billiard pool. 

 

But before Laura could retreat, she felt Danny grabbed her hand and she was guided through the crowd. “Holy fuck,” Laura thought. She knew that she would be at the receiving end of sarcasm once again. 

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all those cool comments and kudos, really appreciate it. You might noticed that I've revised the summary to make it clearer. Enjoy the update!


	5. Touchy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla got drunk and Laura became the object of Carmilla's provocation.

“Crap!” Laura grumbled as she and Danny walked towards a group of people sitting around the table, letting Danny walked ahead of her. “I should’ve guessed! Arrgh!” She groaned in distress as she saw Carmilla’s naughty eyes holding her gaze. Laura composed herself so as to not look affected and panicky. 

“Miss me already Cupcake?” Carmilla said to Laura, grinning as Danny and Laura reached the table where Carmilla and the others were sitting. 

“You know each other?” Danny asked, perplexed at the sudden casual greeting that Carmilla uttered, although Danny thought her best friend’s voice sounded sarcastic. 

“Umm… yeah,” Laura replied dryly, avoiding Carmilla’s eyes. “Joyce invited her to the house the other day.” 

“I see. Oh! Laura, this is LaFontaine,” Danny presented as she motioned to the ginger with a short hair. 

“Hey! Nice to meet you, Laura,” Laf exclaimed and offered their hand. 

“And this is Perry,” Danny said, referring to the curly redhead. 

“Nice to meet you Laura,” the curly redhead replied and gave her a smile.

Laura let out a cheery, “Hi!” waving to the two new persons that she newly met, and intentionally avoided the brunette’s eyes. 

“Laura’s my cousin, and she’s staying at our house,” Danny informed the two, before they could interrogate her and asks embarrassing questions. Seeing that the ginger twins were satisfied with her explanation, she turned to her best friend and handed Carmilla the gift they bought earlier. “Before I forgot, Happy birthday! Open it now!” 

“You bet I will,” Carmilla replied with a selfish grin and tore at the wrapping. Her dark brown eyes glittered in excitement as the gift was unveiled before her. “Oh! It’s beautiful!” she exclaimed, mesmerized at the ancient-looking book and its leather cover. When she begun to flip the pages, she discovered that it’s in foreign language that she had studied once when she was in College, “I’ve always wanted a Sumerian book. Where did you get this?” she asked, fascinated.

“Well, you should thank Laura,” Danny said, switching her attention to Laura, standing a foot away from them. “Coz she’s the one who picked that out, from that little shop near the Café.” 

“I’ll go grab some drinks,” Laura declared before Carmilla could say a word. “What are you havin’ Danny?” 

“Umm… Beer… Bud Light, please,” Danny replied confused, as Laura walked away as fast as possible, feeling some awkwardness brewing between her best friend and cousin. But she shoved the idea when she noticed that someone was missing and turned to Carmilla’s direction. “How come Ell isn’t here?” 

“She’s not coming anymore, coz Carmilla’s broke,” Perry simply chimed in. 

“What?!” Danny exclaimed, surprised that the only girl Carmilla managed to be with for a span of three months were not in attendance at her “girlfriend’s” birthday celebration. Although Carmilla wouldn’t’ admit that she and Ell were dating, the latter however, had already announced to Carmilla’s friends that she’s Carmilla’s official girlfriend.

“Hey!” Carmilla glared at Perry. “I’m not broke!" she defended and let out a sigh, and then rolled her eyes. "Well… not yet. But… And who told you that?!” Carmilla wondered, and glared at the curly redhead, but soon realized who the culprit was when she caught sight of the ginger with the short hair squirmed at their seat. “LaFontaine?!” 

“I didn’t! I… Err… maybe just a bit,” LaFontaine said, trying to defend them self but failing miserably. 

“You promised!” Carmilla blamed, irritated. 

“But I didn’t tell her everything!” Laf reproached. 

“Whatever,” Carmilla returned. 

Feeling left out and confused to what her three friends were arguing about, “Wait!” Danny interrupted. “What’s this all about?” 

“Carmilla’s mother is gonna disinherit her if she doesn’t do what she wants,” Perry simply declared. 

“She’s what?” Danny got more confused. “What’s goin on guys?” she asked, frustrated.

“Did I ask you to be my spokeswoman?” Carmilla voiced, glaring at Perry as she finished the alcohol on her glass. 

“No. I’m just saving you from the embarrassment of having to tell,” Perry retorted. 

“Per!” Laf interjected, sensing a brewing war between Perry and Carmilla. 

“Pre-arranged marriage, Xena,” Carmilla sighed with a heavy heart, as if she was stabbed and grabbed the bottle of vodka in front of them and poured the drink on her glass.

Puzzled, “Okay, what the hell is this… pre-arranged marriage?” Danny asked, shaking her head lightly. 

“It’s when your parents set you up to marry someone you don’t know,” Perry said. 

“But why would they do that?” Danny wondered innocently. “That’s ridiculous!”

“This usually happens with rich families so that they can preserve their wealth,” Perry related. “And in older times, a woman’s parents must give a dowry to their daughter’s future husband.” 

“What? They give fabric softener to their wife?” Danny commented seriously. 

“Not Downy! Dowry,” Perry corrected. “It’s money or properties.” 

“But that’s insane!” LaFontaine remarked, and took a swig from their glass. 

“Well, the rich are insane,” Perry said and glanced at Carmilla, who seemed to be enjoying her drink too much and were disaffected by Laf’s comment. 

“Oh gosh Carmilla,” Danny consoled and stroked her best friend’s back. “I hope your mother is not serious about it.” 

“So, who’s the lucky girl that gets to see your grumpy face for the rest of her life?” Perry asked focusing her eyes at Carmilla. 

“I don’t know!” Carmilla snapped and took a swig again from her glass, emptying the content again. “And I don’t give a fuck whoever she is!” 

“That’s karma, you know,” Perry commented, “for cheating on all the girls that you’ve dated.” 

“Hello?! How many times do I have to tell you that I didn’t cheat on them! They’re the ones who agreed to be with me, even if I told them that I’m not into commitment.” Carmilla reasoned glaring at Perry, feeling defensive at how she dated every girl that she met at the same time. 

“OK! That’s enough!” LaFontaine shouted, sensing that the conversation was about to explode. “I think you two shouldn’t talk for a while,” Laf suggested and motioned for Perry to go to the dance floor. 

As Danny saw Laf and Perry walked towards the dance floor, she took the seat next to Carmilla and gave her a concerned look. “So, what’re you gonna do with Ms. Rich Anonymous?” she asked, feeling sorry and scared for her best friend who was about to marry some upper class, snob, arrogant, narcissistic, lunatic cold bitch. Danny disliked those rich people who think that they can buy and own you. The only reason she remained best friend with Carmilla, was because the Karnstein was not rich before. Carmilla’s mother just became over ambitious and greedy, and became filthy rich. 

“I said I don’t know! And I don’t fucking care!” Carmilla proclaimed, irritated. Her ‘pre-arranged’ future was getting on her nerves now and she drank straight from the bottle of Absolut Citron that was on the table. 

“You’ve had too much already!” Danny shouted and tried to snatch the bottle from Carmilla’s mouth. 

“Hey! Go get your own drink!” Carmilla whined and pouted to Danny, feeling a bit tipsy from the effect of the alcohol. 

“Carmilla, give it to me,” Danny demanded, worried, knowing that Carmilla was not used to drinking hard liquor. She tried to grab the bottle from her best friend, but Carmilla jerked away from her before Danny could grab it and took another swig. 

When Laura returned she saw Danny snatched the bottle of alcohol from Carmilla’s hand and got curious. “What happened?” Laura queried, as she put Danny’s beer and her glass of mint lemonade on the table. 

“I think the party is over!” Danny replied. 

“Oh! Hi Cupcake! Would you like to dance?” Carmilla asked, as she focused her gaze on the blonde. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Danny suggested, as she helped Carmilla stand up. “Laura, I think we better drive Carmilla to her place. Could you please tell Laf and Perry that we’ll go ahead?” 

Sensing that the alcohol was already taking effect on Carmilla, Laura nodded to Danny. “Sure,” she said as she saw Danny grab Carmilla’s hand and led her out of the crowd. 

As soon as she relayed the message to the two gingers, Laura ran to the exit. She saw that Danny and Carmilla were still standing by the entrance and headed towards them. 

“Laura, could you please wait here for a while with Carmilla?” Danny asked. “I need to find where she parked her car.” 

“No problem,” Laura agreed and stood beside Carmilla, even if it was making her uncomfortable to be left alone with the arrogant brunette. 

“Hmm… I guess you’re stuck with me, Cupcake,” Carmilla said and brought her face closer to Laura’s neck. “You smell good.” Carmilla said, while sniffing Laura. 

Annoyed, Laura jerked her head a bit away from the brunette. But Carmilla moved closer and with Laura’s hair tossed up in soft bun, she felt Carmilla’s breath blowing against her sensitive bare neck. The next thing Laura knew, she felt soft warm lips touched her skin. “Hey! Stop it!” Laura demanded, after the first kiss. But instead of stopping, Carmilla just grinned and grabbed her by the hips, and planted more kisses on her neck. “Dammit Carmilla!” she exclaimed annoyed, as she escaped from the embrace and slapped Carmilla on the cheek. 

“Ouch! It’s my birthday!” Carmilla whined, smirking at what Laura did. “Don’t I get a kiss?” she replied in a deep raspy voice.

“You’re such a rude, arrogant spoiled brat!” Laura proclaimed, turning red after feeling a tingling sensation from Carmilla’s kisses, and the way Carmilla stared at her.

But before Carmilla could utter a retort, Danny arrived and got out of the black jet BMW X5 xDrive 35i and approached Laura and Carmilla. 

“Hey! What’s going on here?” Danny asked, seeing that she had just walked into a heated argument. 

“Your best friend just kissed me!” Laura told Danny, with her brows contorted in fury and her arms crossed over her chest tightly, after feeling molested. 

“You did what?!” Danny exclaimed, facing her best friend. 

“Geez, it’s just a kiss!” Carmilla said nonchalantly. 

“But you don’t just steal kisses from someone!” Danny scolded. 

But Carmilla didn’t seem to care and just walked out from the conversation and opened the passenger seat door and got inside. “Are you driving me home or not?” she asked Danny. 

“Laura, I’m sorry. Let’s just drive her home so that this is over, ok?” Danny comforted, and received a nod from Laura. 

Thirty minutes later, Danny parked the car in the driveway of Carmilla’s front yard. She was thankful that Carmilla had fallen asleep on the way, or else, she would be stressed, driving with Carmilla and Laura bickering. Danny hurriedly got out of the front seat to carry the intoxicated Carmilla inside the house. She opened the passenger’s door and searched Carmilla’s pockets first before releasing Carmilla from the seatbelt. “Where’s the fucking key?” Danny asked. 

“Gotcha!” Danny murmured when she found it and carefully pulled Carmilla out of the seat. 

Laura was already standing beside Danny to help carry Carmilla, as the tall ginger managed to pull out her best friend. “Ok, got her,” Laura said as she got a hold of Carmilla. Danny put Carmilla’s left arm over her shoulder while Laura took the other arm. 

“Jeez! I didn’t know you could be this heavy when you’re drunk!” Danny complained as she struggled opening the door of the apartment and balancing Carmilla with her. 

Danny sighed when the door finally flung open and they headed straight for upstairs, while Carmilla mumbled in German, as they navigate their way in the house. As soon as they arrived in Carmilla’s room, Danny and Laura laid Carmilla carefully on the bed and sighed in relief as the heavy load was taken off their shoulders. Danny took off her best friend’s boots and leather jacket and tucked Carmilla in before hanging Carmilla's leather jacket at the back of the door. 

While on the other hand, Laura took the trash bin that was beside the study table and put it beside Carmilla’s bed to make sure that the brunette won’t have trouble throwing up. Even if the brunette had successfully irritated and teased her earlier, Laura still felt a little compassion to the drunk brunette. When Laura turned her back from Carmilla, and was about to head to the door, she was in for another surprised again when she felt a hand grabbed her ass. “What the fuck?!“ she thought annoyed and turned around to find the brunette smirking at her. “Come to bed with me, Cupcake,” was all she heard, before Carmilla released her ass and totally passed out.

“For fuck’s sake Carmilla, stop that!” Danny scolded, after witnessing her best friend practically molested Laura, again. But the brunette seemed to not hear it. “Are you okay?” Danny asked, full of concern as she looked at Laura.

“I’m alright,” Laura returned, keeping her distance from Carmilla. “Your best friend is unbelievable!”

“I’m sorry Laura,” Danny replied, as she stood between the bed where Carmilla was sleeping and Laura, as if shielding the blonde for further harassment from her best friend. “I won’t let her touch you again. I promise.”

Laura blushed at Danny’s remark. She did not know if she’s blushing because of Danny’s concerned words or the fact that Carmilla just grabbed her ass a while ago.

“Come on, let’s go home,” Danny suggested, after she glanced at Carmilla’s sleeping figure, to make sure that her best friend was comfortable and then led Laura to the door. “I bet somebody’s gonna be asking for lots of aspirin tomorrow.”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for your comments and kudos! Hope you like the update.


	6. Blood of my blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla had an accident.

Two days later…  
0900H 

“Carmilla! What’re you doin’ here?” Danny exclaimed, as she opened the door and found a sheepish-looking brunette. 

“Hey. Are you alone?” Carmilla asked, her eyes hovering around the house as she entered. 

“Umm… No. Why?” Danny wondered and scanned her best friend’s expression. “You wanna see Laura?” 

“Why would I?” Carmilla questioned nonchalantly.

But Danny knew it was a lie. “To apologize,” Danny returned. 

Carmilla blushed with guilt. She knew that her behavior hadn’t been acceptable that night. 

“You like her, don’t you?” Danny inquired. 

“Give me a break, Xena! I don’t have a thing for your cousin!” Carmilla retorted. 

“Really?! Are you sure about that?” Danny returned. 

“Believe me, she’s not my type. That little creampuff has this… this big mouth that if I ever kissed her, I might not be able to breathe at all coz her mouth would be all over mine… and…” 

“And what?” 

Carmilla froze, silenced from the sound of the familiar angry voice behind her. 

“Uh-oh,” Carmilla murmured, paralyzed in embarrassment and thinking of a way to weasel out of this mess. However, before she could defend herself, she heard a sound of the door slammed. Before she knew it, the little creampuff was gone. 

“That’s strike two fang face!” Danny commented, looking at the door that Laura just left. 

“I’m… I’m just. Oh fuck! I blew it again!” 

“I think she heard everything you said,” Danny returned.

“You think so?” 

“Uh huh,” Danny confirmed and nodded. 

*****

2200H 

“Hello?” 

“He-Hello?” 

“What’s up?” Danny uttered as soon as she recognized her best friend’s voice. 

“Umm, is she… is she home?” 

“Who? The little creampuff?” Danny asked with sarcasm, recalling how Carmilla used the term for Laura.

“Ye-yeah” 

“No, she’s not, and my mom is worried.” 

“ Xena, I’m really sorry.” 

“Maybe she just went shopping and didn’t notice the time. Don’t worry.” Danny reassured Carmilla, but a bit worried too, since Laura don’t have a cellphone and she cannot check on her.

“Please call me as soon as she arrives, will you?” Carmilla said.

“Yeah, I will.” 

*****

2300H 

Not being able to sleep and feeling guilty about making Laura leave the house, Carmilla decided to go clubbing. 

“Laf?” Carmilla uttered, after hitting the number 3 on her cell phone, connecting her instantly to LaFontaine’s phone. “It’s me.” 

“Hey Karnstein! What’s up? It’s kinda late now.” 

“Err… could you… could you meet me at the Club?” 

“Everything all right?” 

“Does it have to be something wrong when I ask you to go clubbing with me?” was Carmilla’s sarcastic reply

“Okay I’ll be there.” 

***** 

2345H 

Danny jumped up from the couch as soon as she heard the door close. 

“Laura!” Danny called as she saw Laura. “Where have you been?” 

“I’m- I’m sorry I di-didn’t call,” Laura apologized. 

“Are you all right?” Danny asked, with full of concern. 

“Yeah,” Laura said and gave Danny a shy smile. 

Danny was about to tell how sorry Carmilla was when the phone suddenly rang. Danny went and grabbed the phone before it could ring again so as not to wake up her mother. 

After putting the phone down, Danny walked back to Laura. 

“Who’s that?” Laura asked, as she saw worry pasted all over Danny’s pale face. 

“That’s Laf,” Danny said, still in shock. “They’re at the hospital.” 

Anxiety and fear overcame Laura as she heard what Danny said and felt something was wrong. 

“I… I’m so-sorry, what d-did they say?” Laura inquired, her brows furrowed with worry. 

“It’s Carmilla… Carmilla had an accident,” Danny explained, while getting her coat. “I’m going to the hospital now, are you comin’?” 

“Of course,” Laura replied and followed Danny outside. 

*****

A few minutes later, Danny and Laura found themselves running towards the emergency room of Styria Hospital. They were met immediately by LaFontaine and Perry. 

“What happened?!” Danny asked. 

“There was a fight at the club,” LaFontaine started, facing the two worried girls. “Those who had seen it told me that Carmilla just came out from the ladies’ room and there were these two guys who were arguing near the restroom. The other guy took out a knife from his pocket and tried to stab this other guy, but he missed him, and instead… he… he stabbed Carmilla.” 

“Oh my god!” Laura gasped. 

“Did you guys report this to the police?” Danny asked firmly. 

“Yes we did,” Perry responded. “We tried calling Carmilla’s mother but her secretary told us that she was out of town, so we just relayed the message to her. I gave my number and yours and Laf’s in case she wants to know Carmilla’s condition.” 

“How about Will, did you call him?” Danny asked.

“Will’s cell was off,” LaFontaine said. 

“Geez! Where are her family when you need them?!” Danny exclaimed.

“How is she now?” Danny asked. 

“She’s been there for an hour now,” Laf informed. “But they haven’t told us anything yet.” 

Just as they were drowning in worries, a doctor emerged from the emergency room and walked towards them. 

“Hi! I’m Dr. Davis,” the man said after removing his mask. “Are you Miss Karnstein’s family?” 

“No, were not, but we’re close friends,” Danny proclaimed. 

“Doesn’t she have any family?” Dr. Davis queried. 

“We’ve already called her mother, but she’s out of town,” Laf declared and turned to the man in the white coat. “Why? Is something wrong?” 

Standing quietly beside Danny, Laura felt worried for Carmilla even if they didn’t get along well. At times like this, she remembered how important family was and she was amazed to discover how Carmilla had such caring friends. 

“She lost a lot of blood and she needs a transfusion,” Dr. Davis relayed. 

“Well, then go ahead, give her the transfusion!” Laf blurted. 

“That’s the problem, she had a rare type of blood,” he related. “And we don’t have it here right now.” 

“What type does she have?” Danny inquired, hoping she could save her best friend’s life. 

“Yeah, maybe one of us has the same type like hers,” Laf said. 

“Well, we could take a test and see who among you might have this particular blood type,” the doctor informed. 

“How rare is it?” Danny asked, as they walk to one of the rooms. 

“About 1 in 1,000,” Doctor Davis responded and led them to the laboratory. 

Danny was the first one who went inside the room, then followed by the two other gingers. 

Minutes later, sitting in between Danny and Laf, Laura stood up as she saw Perry emerged from the room. 

“Where are you goin’?” Danny asked. 

“Inside,” Laura responded, referring to the laboratory. 

Danny smiled. She never expected that Laura would be willing to give her blood too. Danny knew that Laura had been upset with Carmilla earlier, but didn’t realize how compassionate Laura was until now. 

“Thank you, Laura,” Danny said. 

“Don’t thank me yet,” Laura said and walked inside the room. 

As Laura arrived inside, she was given a form to fill out, but she hesitated before writing the name Hollis. She thought that her father might trace her. So instead she wrote her mother's maiden name. She was a bit nervous as she handed it back to the nurse, thinking that she had committed a crime by falsifying her name. However, she didn’t have time to think of what was right or wrong. What mattered now was to find out if she could be a possible match and save someone's life. 

After having all of their blood samples taken, they returned to the lobby near the emergency room to wait for the result. Perry and Laura took a seat, while Danny and Laf paced back and forth. 

A few minutes later, the anticipated moment came and they saw Carmilla’s attending physician running towards them. 

“What now?” Danny asked anxiously. Laf faced him with anticipation while Perry remained seated beside Laura. 

Laura remained silent, not wanting to impose herself to the others. She had realized today how close the bond of these friends was when everybody proclaimed that they were willing to give their blood to Carmilla. 

“There’s a match!” the doctor exclaimed. “Who among you is Laura Holstein?” 

Laura’s musing was interrupted when her name was called. “I… I am,” Laura mumbled. 

“You and Ms. Karnstein have the same blood type!” the doctor revealed. 

Suddenly, four pairs of eyes darted towards her and Laura was left dumbfounded as she witnessed those anxious eyes staring at her, as if waiting for her comment. Not wasting any more time, “Let’s do it,” she declared and joined the physician inside the emergency room. 

*****

The following day, Danny, Laf and Perry went over to the hospital the first thing in the morning. Carmilla’s attending physician told them that they could now visit Carmilla, since she had already been moved to the recovery room. 

As they opened the door to Carmilla’s room, they were surprised to find the patient awake. 

“Hey! How do you feel now?” LaFontaine greeted happily. 

Carmilla just smiled back at her friends. 

“Fang face! Glad to see you alive!” Danny exclaimed and approached Carmilla’s bed, with Perry trailing behind. 

“Do you feel anything different, aside from the pain?” Perry asked nonchalantly. 

Carmilla furrowed her brows and glared at Perry. 

“Coz your blood is already contaminated,” Perry quipped and sat at the small couch across from Carmilla’s bed. 

Carmilla was shocked and jerked her head towards Danny, who was standing by her bed, looking at her questioningly. 

“She’s exaggerating,” Danny replied. “Didn’t they tell you?” 

“What?” Carmilla let out a feeble reply. 

“That someone gave you a blood,” Perry chimed in. “And who knows, she might belong to a werewolf clan.” 

“We don’t belong to a werewolf clan!” Danny snarled back. 

Carmilla pondered and remembered being stabbed in the Bronze, but after that everything was blurry to her. She glanced at Danny to seek more information but her best friend and Perry were still snarling with each other. 

Laf approached the other side of Carmilla’s bed and touched Carmilla’s hand consolingly. 

“You lost lots of blood,” Laf started. “And the doctor said that you needed a blood transfusion in order to live.” 

Carmilla realized what had happened and touched Danny’s hand and mumbled, “Thanks Danny.” 

“Oh no! It isn’t me,” Danny corrected. “The blood that is inside you now is Laura’s. You’re lucky that you two both have the same type, coz your doctor said that you have a rare blood type.” 

Carmilla’s mouth dropped open, dumbfounded. After seconds of recollection, “Cupcake?” Carmilla murmured in realization. 

“She saved your life,” Danny returned. 

Disoriented… “Where is she?” Carmilla whispered, still not believing what had happened. 

“At home, resting,” Danny replied. 

“Coz you sucked half of the blood out of her,” Perry added. 

“Perry!” Danny warned. 

 

TBC


	7. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla was trying to be nice while Laura does not want anything to do with Carmilla.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks again for all your nice comments and kudos!

It had been two days since she got out of the hospital, and yet, Carmilla was still in the confinement of her room, instructed by her physician to take plenty of rest. Laura had never visited her those days she spent in the hospital and it surprisingly worried her. 

“You fucked up again, Karnstein!” she thought, realizing now those silly things she had done to Laura. 

Not capable of going out yet, Carmilla thought of every possible thing she could do to apologize to Laura. 

She picked up the phone and dialed the Lawrence’s number. “He-hello?” Carmilla uttered feebly when she heard the phone at the other end pick up. 

“Carmilla! How are you doing!?” she heard the mother of her best friend on the other line. 

“I’m fine and I’m at home now resting.” 

“Oh good, I’m so happy to hear that. You scared us when Danny told me that you almost died. It’s a good thing that Laura was there.” 

“Umm… yeah, I guess, I was lucky,” Carmilla returned, still in disbelief of hearing how Laura saved her life. 

Assuming that she was looking for her best friend, she heard Joyce say, “Well… Danny’s not here.” 

“I’m actually not calling for Danny.” Carmilla hesitated and continued. “Is… is Laura there?” 

“Yeah, she is. Hold on a sec.” 

Carmilla waited patiently as she heard Joyce call Laura. After a minute or two of silence, Carmilla was disappointed to hear Joyce answer the phone again. 

“I’m sorry Carmilla, but she… she’s in the shower right now. Could I take a message? ” 

Frustrated, “Oh. Umm… just tell her I called to thank her.” 

“Don’t worry I’ll make sure she gets the message, take care, will you sweetie?” 

“Thanks Joyce, bye.” 

It had been her third attempt and Laura seemed to be avoiding her. Carmilla thought that she had to try another way to make Laura talk to her. The guilt was killing her. 

*****

“Would you like to talk about it?” 

She heard Joyce’s kind words, “N-no, it’s ok.” Laura said as she saw the older Lawrence put the phone back on its cradle. “I’m sorry I had to ask you to lie for me. I-It’s j-just…” 

“It’s alright sweetie, you don’t need to explain anything,” Joyce reassured and sat with Laura at the kitchen island. 

“Thanks Joyce,” she said and gave her a shy smile. 

******

The following morning, the breakfast at the Lawrence’s household was interrupted by a buzzing sound of the doorbell. 

“I’ll get it,” Danny uttered and stood from her chair to answer the door. 

As Danny opened the door, a bouquet full of multi-colored fresh tulips graced her eyes. “Oh, my gosh! They’re beautiful!” she said, adoring the gorgeous flowers in front of her. Danny was about to ask where they came from when she was interrupted by the man’s well-rehearsed announcement. 

“Delivery for Ms. Laura Holstein,” he declared handing the paper for Danny to sign. “Sign here please.” 

Danny dutifully signed and accepted the delivery then hurried back to the dining area to pass Laura the bouquet. 

Laura has not gotten a single hint that it was for her and was totally flabbergasted when Danny handed her the flowers. For a while her brown eyes glowed in awe as she gazed at the sheer exuberance of the red, yellow, pink, light blue, white, orange, peach, and violet tulips that she was holding. 

“Looks like someone has a secret admirer,” Danny teased, as Laura’s eyes remained adoring the beautiful flowers. 

“Read the card!” Joyce suggested excitedly, curious at who sent it. 

Still in a state of bewilderment, Laura carefully laid the bouquet on the table and plucked the little envelope that was inserted between the long stems. Her face was painted with excitement as she eagerly opened the card. However, the excitement vanished as she read the content. 

“Who sent it?” Danny asked eagerly. 

Laura picked the bouquet from the table and passed along with the card to Danny. “Here, you can have it,” she remarked, stood from the table and went upstairs, leaving Joyce and Danny wondering at the sudden change of her mood. 

“What happened?” Joyce wondered, looking at Danny and took the card from her daughter’s hand. When she saw who sent it, Joyce started to frown slightly in wonder. “Is there something going on between Laura and Carmilla?” she asked her daughter, suspecting that there was tension brewing between the two. 

Danny suddenly remembered the night from the club and the time Carmilla said that Laura had a big mouth. “It’s Carmilla,” Danny started. She took a seat and placed the flowers and card on the table. “She got drunk and stole a kiss from Laura.” 

“Oh. So, Laura got upset because Carmilla kissed her?” Joyce asked. 

“Well, it isn’t just that,” Danny related. “Carmilla also said that Laura has a big mouth,” she said, ashamed at her best friend’s tactless behavior. 

“Carmilla said that?” Joyce uttered and shook her head. She rolled her eyes almost not wanting to believe this childish feud that was happening between Laura and Carmilla. “So that explains why Laura won’t talk to Carmilla.” She recalled Carmilla phoning yesterday looking for Laura. Joyce’s facial expression suddenly changed and she grinned at the thought of the two in a petty quarrel. “I think they like each other,” Joyce concluded nonchalantly. She stood and picked both her mug and empty bowl off the island. 

Not wanting to believe what her mother just said, Danny exclaimed, “Ha! Carmilla and Laura?!” She shook her head as her eyes followed her mother. “Not happening!” she declared as she took the remaining dishes from the table and followed Joyce to the kitchen sink. “I’m telling you Mom, they're like cat and mouse, they hate each other.” 

*****

Later that day, Carmilla waited in anticipation that Laura would call to tell her that she had received the flowers that she sent. But her expectations dwindled as the hours went by, and still, no call came. She had even called the flower shop to check if the flowers had been delivered. When the employee from the shop confirmed to her that it was delivered on time and was received, her patience ran out. 

Once again, she checked the clock on the wall. It was already eight in the evening. She had waited too long, she thought. Carmilla then picked up the phone and dialed the Lawrence’s number. 

“Xena, it’s me,” Carmilla said. 

“Hey Fangface! What’s up?” Danny returned. 

“Hey. I was kinda wondering if...” Carmilla trailed off. 

“Oh yeah! The tulips arrived this morning.” Danny confirmed, predicting what her best friend was going to ask. “They’re beautiful. But…” 

“But what?” Carmilla worried. 

Not wanting her best friend to feel hurt, Dany said. “But I think she doesn’t like tulips.” 

“She doesn’t?” Carmilla remarked, completely unaware that Laura didn’t like anything at all that came from her. “Maybe I should have just sent her some roses?” 

“Umm… yeah. I think so,” Danny replied not wanting her best friend be discouraged. 

“Yeah, it should have been roses! Coz everybody loves roses!” Carmilla remarked innocently. “Why didn’t I think of that before? Well, roses it is!” And with that, she bid her best friend goodbye. 

As soon as she woke up in the morning she dialed the number for the florist shop and excitedly ordered roses for Laura. 

*****

In the evening, Carmilla decided to call again at the Lawrence’s house when she did not receive a call from Laura. As expected, it was Danny again who answered the phone. 

“So, did she like it?” Carmilla blurted out. 

“Carmilla?” Danny double checked. 

“Yeah, it’s me! Sorry for being excited.” Carmilla calmed a bit. “I just wanna know what she thinks about the roses?” she wondered, expecting that the three dozen roses made a difference to Laura. 

Recalling the incident how Laura again ignored the flowers upon finding out that it was from Carmilla, Danny had to lie again in order not to hurt her best friend’s feelings. “Oh, Carmilla, I… forgot… Laura was allergic to roses,” Danny quickly informed. “She sneezed non-stop, when she got close to them.” 

“Oh my gosh! Is she okay?!” Carmilla asked, about to panic. 

“Don’t worry. She’s okay now!” Danny quickly replied. “We just had to get rid of the roses. I’m sorry.” 

“No! It’s all right!” Carmilla returned, not wanting something bad to happen to Laura. “You did the right thing Xena!” she said. However, she still would not give up and was still hell-bent on gaining Laura’s attention. Her active mind thought of another plan. 

*****

After several attempts of trying to gain Laura’s trust, Carmilla decided that she had to change her plan. As soon as she felt that she could walk further without feeling a pinch of pain from her nearly dry wound, Carmilla headed to Danny’s place one Monday morning. The sun was just starting to ascend, brightening the morning sky and she was already by the doorstep of her best friend’s house. Without any hesitation, Carmilla knocked on the door and wore her ‘killer smile’, the one that she always uses to charm everybody. 

“Carmilla! What a surprise?!” Joyce exclaimed as the door opened, her hands trying to put an earring in her left ear. “It’s great to see you all recovered!” 

“Good morning Joyce,” she returned, beaming at her best friend’s mother. Carmilla noticed that Joyce was fully dressed and a shoulder bag was hanging on her shoulder. “Are you goin’ somewhere?” 

“Yeah, I’ve got a meeting at eight,” she returned after finally hooking her earring. “Well, come on in,” Joyce offered, and let Carmilla pass through the threshold, before going out. “I better go now! Laura’s eating breakfast you could join her if you want. There are plenty of pancakes!” Joyce said as she walked off of the porch, going to her car. 

“Alright, thanks!” Carmilla replied and closed the door behind her. 

Carmilla walked carefully into the dining area. She saw Laura’s back and got nervous, so she stood there for a bit. She took a deep breath and went closer to where Laura was sitting. By this time, Laura should have noticed her presence, and yet Carmilla saw that Laura did not move a bit. Laura was still engrossed in the newspaper that she had in her hand, while a mug of hot choco was sitting in front of her. 

“Morning,” Carmilla uttered in a tentative tone. Still there was no reply. “Can I sit here?” she asked, referring to the stool across from Laura, with only the island separating them. 

“Sit anywhere you like.” 

Carmilla heard the nonchalant reply and Laura had not turned her eyes on her direction yet. “By the way, thanks again for the help.” 

“No biggie. I’m always donating my blood to the Red Cross,” Laura said casually and turned the page of the newspaper. 

Sensing that Laura was not in a good mood, Carmilla decided to get a cup of coffee first. She went to the cupboard took a mug and got the decanter and poured some freshly brewed coffee in her mug. 

“This is gonna be tough,” Carmilla thought, and took a sip of the strong black coffee before returning to her stool. She was used to getting everything she wanted, from material things to people’s attention. However, Carmilla thought that she was losing her charm with this woman, and her patience was being put to the test. 

“What are you reading?” Carmilla asked as she sat. 

“What does it look like to you?” Laura returned coldly, her eyes not lifting from the newspaper. 

Laura’s reply quickly sent Carmilla into flames, “Aargh, she’s doing it again!” Carmilla thought, stewing inside, and yet, she tried to suppress the urge to retaliate to Laura’s statement. “Calm down Karnstein,” she reminded herself. “A newspaper!” the words slipped out from her mouth like a retort and Laura suddenly darted her startled brown eyes to Carmilla’s surprised dark orbs. 

Noticing that she had been a bit loud, Carmilla tried to simmer down. “I… I mean, what’s it all about,Cupcake?” Carmilla tried to rescue as she grinned at Laura. 

This time, the ‘killer smile’ seemed to pull Laura from her own wondering mind of what just happened. Laura turned her gaze in front of her. “I’m reading my horoscope.” 

The word horoscope instantly sent Carmilla’s active mind into planning mode. Her ‘know it all’ demeanor had resurfaced again and she thought of impressing Laura. “Ha! That's nothing compared to…” She suddenly blanked out and was lost of words. 

Laura crossed her arms on her chest and raised her left eyebrow, waiting for Carmilla’s comment “Compared to what, hmmm?” 

Carmilla threw her right hand in the air, suggesting that she had an idea. Suddenly she saw her palm and something rang in her thoughts. “Compared to palm reading!” she delivered in absolute confidence. 

Sensing that Carmilla was trying to show off, Laura asked, “Really?! Hmmm… Well, then prove it!” She showed her right palm to Carmilla. 

Carmilla was suddenly caught off guard. But no matter how cornered she was, she always found a way to get herself out of a sticky situation. Grinning, Carmilla exclaimed “Piece of cake!” And took Laura’s hand. “Let me see,” Carmilla started, as her eyes stared blankly at Laura’s palm. However, she was suddenly distracted from her pretentiousness when she felt how warm and soft Laura’s hand was. The next thing Carmilla knew, she felt warm at the contact of Laura’s hand in her own. 

“I’m waiting.” 

Carmilla heard the impatient remark from Laura. She tried to brush off whatever sensation she was feeling and tried to concentrate on Laura’s palm. “All right!” she returned. Suddenly, a smart idea came into her. “I see someone…” Carmilla started, as if trying to scrutinize Laura’s palm. “You’re goin to be picked up tomorrow night at seven by a black Mercedes convertible.” 

“I am?” Laura asked with interest and batted her thick eye lashes. 

“Yeah, a gorgeous lady will be driving it,” Carmilla explained, contorting her brows as she continued to scan Laura’s palm. “And she’s goin to take you to dinner!” 

“She will?!” Laura replied, her eyes widened with excitement.

With her eyes still looking down at Laura’s hand, “Yeah! And afterwards, she’s goin to take you to a movie!” Carmilla exclaimed. She looked up and stopped reading Laura’s palm. 

“Geez! You read that all?!” Laura asked amazed. 

“Yup!” Carmilla replied full of confidence and released Laura’s hand. “There’s still more, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise,” she finished with absolute certainty. 

Laura looked Carmilla straight into her eyes and gave her a lopsided grin, “Is someone asking me for a date?” 

Realizing that she was busted, Carmilla uttered sweetly, “Will you go out with me, Cupcake?” 

“You’ve read it all, right?” Laura returned, referring to Carmilla’s almost believable reading of her palm. 

Having great confidence in herself, Carmilla nodded in confirmation. 

“Well then, you ought to know what the answer is!” Laura snapped and stalked out of the dining area. 

“Oh come on Cupcake!” Carmilla burst out in disappointment. “I’m trying to be nice!” she remarked, trying to catch up with Laura. Carmilla hated losing and Laura had just turned the tables on her. 

TBC


	8. Clash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla cannot accept the fact that there is a woman who refused to go out with her on a date.

Carmilla wouldn’t let Laura get away that easily. She went there to thank Laura and nothing more. The flowers that she sent were just a token of her appreciation of Laura's kindness. But how did she end up asking Laura for a date? ...That was the thing that annoyed and puzzled her! 

“What the frilly heck happened?!” Carmilla wondered, it was as if she had been put under a spell a while ago. And now that the 'spell' was broken, there was only one thing in her mind: to reclaim her wounded pride. 

“It isn’t actually a date, you know!” Carmilla returned as she trailed Laura from behind. “Coz hello!? I don’t…” Carmilla was suddenly halted as Laura stopped and turned around to face her. 

Laura paused for a moment and looked at Carmilla seriously, as if trying to recall something, “I don’t know…” she began, “but it sounded like you just asked me out.” Laura implied with a hint of sarcasm. She grinned when she caught Carmilla's annoyed expression before turning around and walking further away. 

This time, Laura's wicked smile really drove Carmilla in a maddening rage, and all she could think of was to score. “For your information, Carmilla Karnstein never asks someone for a date,” Carmilla reproached, furious, 'they’re the ones who ask me!' she exclaimed following Laura. 

Laura stopped again and turned to Carmilla, “Oh. So, I guess… that made me special and unique, coz I’m the first person you’ve asked!” she retorted and immediately turned her back to Carmilla. 

Carmilla was held back and temporarily stood frozen. This woman was really giving her a hard time; after she recovered from Laura's endless sarcastic retort… “No, you’re not!” Carmilla snarled. Clouded with revenge and fuming inside, she followed Laura until they reached the second floor and went inside a room. Having finally cornered Laura, “You’ll never be the first!” she declared. 

Expecting a retort, Carmilla suddenly wondered as her eyes caught Laura just staring at her as if she had something on her face. Irritated at Laura's silent teasing, “What?! Aren’t you gonna say something?! Come on, let’s have it. You wanna nail me down? You think you could win this argument? Ha! Nobody can put Carmilla Karnstein down; not even my mother!” 

Amused, Laura gave Carmilla a come-hither look. “Do you wanna join me?” she said in a deep enticing tone. 

Distracted by Laura's alluring voice, “Huh?” Carmilla uttered. 

Surprisingly, Carmilla mellowed. She tried to brush off this sensation that she was feeling and reminded herself that she needed to end this debate. But she was failing miserably. Carmilla's brows crinkled in confusion when she saw a sink on her left, her eyes started to scan the room and she saw a bathtub behind Laura. But before she could realize where she’d ended up, her eyes surprisingly caught the sight of Laura unbuttoning her flannel pajamas in front of her. Carmilla's eyes widened with desire when the sight of Laura's breasts slowly became visible to her hungry eyes, her breath began to race and she felt a tingling sensation under her. 

“You’re staring!” Laura said.

Carmilla was rudely snatched from her sneak peek of Laura's breasts, and was deprived of viewing further when Laura stopped unbuttoning the third button. Annoyed and disappointed at herself for being weak, she diverted her eyes at Laura's face. “What?!” she said irritated at the fact that she had been caught. “I’m not!” 

“I saw you staring at my breasts!” Laura quickly accused. 

Guilty, “You’re insane,” Carmilla retorted. “I don’t have any hots for you!” she pronounced with an air of arrogance. 

“Really!?” Laura taunted. Slowly, she walked to Carmilla, and stood in front of her. Not too close, not too far, just perfect to make Camilla uncomfortable. 

As if she was put under a spell again, Carmilla felt her legs weaken as Laura's body shortened the gap between them. The next thing she knew, her eyes were focused on Laura's delicate hands further unbuttoning her own pajamas. Carmilla was now given a good peek, as Laura reached the last button. The creaminess of Laura's cleavage was now slowly becoming visible to Carmilla's prying eyes. She felt warmer as she discovered that Laura was not wearing a bra and those breasts seemed to be teasing her. 

“You like?”

Carmilla heard Laura's sultry voice, as she caught the blonde undoing the last button and it looked as if Laura was ready to take off the unwanted garment and fully expose those creamy round breasts. Carmilla felt that her throat ran dry and she swallowed hard to reply, but no words formed in her mouth, and instead she found herself salivating on the delicious sight that was about to be fully shown to her. She nodded dumbly in reply, without tearing her eyes off Laura's chest. 

“Show over!” Laura stood back and covered her chest protectively with her pajamas. “Now I have the evidence.” And she pushed Carmilla out of the bathroom before the latter could react. 

“Hey! What the...!” Carmilla argued, but Laura had already locked the door behind her. “Open up! We’re not yet finished!” she demanded and banged on the door. But she heard no reply and instead the strong sound of the shower caught her ears. “Aaargh!!” she groaned in frustration. She felt deceived and was fuming mad at Laura's wickedness. “The date’s off!” she yelled and stomped down the stairs. “You think you’re the only one who can do that?! I’ll show you Laura Holstein! I’ll show you what Carmilla Karnstein is capable of!” 

*** 

“Hey. May I come in?” Danny asked as she passed by Laura's room and saw that the door was still halfway open. 

Laura smiled right away upon seeing her and sat in the middle of the bed. She was so glad to be living in this house and everyone seemed like her own family, except for a certain brunette that kept on pestering her, she realized. “Danny! Sure, come in.” 

“I heard you had a visitor today,” Danny grinned and sat at the end of the bed. 

Laura smirked right away, “Yeah, your best friend is so persistent,” she remarked, recalling how Carmilla tried to ask for that date, “and not to mention annoying.” 

Knowing her best friend too well, “I’m sorry about that,” Danny commented. “Carmilla's always determined to do and get whatever she wants.” She tried to enlighten Laura. “But sometimes she overdoes it. Like for example with Ell. She’s pampering her too much.” 

“What do you mean? And who’s Ell?” Laura asked, suddenly curious. 

“Ell is Carmilla's seasonal girlfriend,” Danny said nonchalantly, and instantly received a confused look from Laura. “Oh. I mean, they’re on and off. It depends on Ell's mood.” Danny explained. “But the last I heard Ell had totally broken up with Carmilla. But knowing Carmilla, she won’t give up easily.” 

“It seems so.” Laura added. 

“I wonder what Carmilla is up to now?” Danny said. “The last time she and Ell had a fight, she gave Ell a round trip ticket to Paris.” 

“Your best friend is quite a show off.” Laura concluded, not impressed with how Carmilla treats her woman. 

*** 

“Hi babes!” Carmilla remarked happily as she saw a tall blonde standing by the door of her house. 

“Don’t you babes me!” was the angry and irritable remark, as the blonde just let herself in. “We’re through!” 

Carmilla had not totally closed the door behind her when... 

“What’s the meaning of this?!” the woman demanded, waving a piece of plastic card right in front of Carmilla's face. “I was at Hermes and was already paying, when the saleslady told me that it’s declined!” 

“That’s impossible!” Carmilla blurted out. “Ell, you can buy all the Hermes there using that card!” 

“Oh. You’re definitely right,” Ell retaliated. “All the Hermes marked with ‘Made in China'!'” she retorted. “Don’t you bother talking to me again!” She shouted out before marching towards the door and slammed it closed. 

An overwhelming panic suddenly overcame Carmilla. Without wasting another minute, she picked up the phone and dialed the number of her bank. 

After two rings, she received a reply, “This is Carmilla Karnstein. I need to speak to the manager.” She demanded. After a few seconds, Carmilla heard the familiar voice over the phone. “I’d like to know why one of my credit cards has been declined.” Even upset and impatient, she forced herself to listen to what the person had to say on the other end of the line. But as the message was relayed to her, she burst out in fury. “What do you mean my account was frozen?! It never happened before, and my mother's the biggest share-... What?!” 

*** 

Moments later, Carmilla was driving like a maniac on the way to her mother's mansion. 

She stormed into her mother's house and went straight to her office parlor. 

“What’s the idea of freezing my money?!” She questioned her mother right away, furious at what the bank’s manager had told her. 

“As far as I know, you don’t have a single penny.” Her mother replied calmly. 

This time, Carmilla was stripped of her confidence and the truth dawned on her. And yet, her stubbornness still persisted. “If you think that I’m gonna just give in to what you want me to do, well… you’re wrong!” she proclaimed and stomped her way out of the house. 

“We’ll see about that!” her mother shouted back. 

*** 

“Geez, Carmilla, I’m sorry to hear about that,” Danny commiserated. “Well, you’re always welcome to live with us, in case your mother decided to throw you out of the house.” She offered. 

“Thanks Xena, but I think I’d rather live with Laf.” Carmilla returned. 

Totally clueless, “What do you mean?” Danny asked. 

“Hello!? Remember? You have a lunatic cousin living with you!” Carmilla announced. “I couldn’t stand living with her in the same house.” 

“Oh.” Danny realized, as the scene of Laura and Carmilla fighting like cat and dog played in her thoughts. “I forgot.” 

 

TBC


	9. Unwanted Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After trying to live with Laf and Perry for a month, Carmilla decided that she had enough of Perry's constant cleaning and nagging of where to put things back on its proper place. Danny went back to her dorm and Danny's mother tried to convince Carmilla to move in to Danny's room temporarily. But Carmilla was stubborn and her pride was hurt by a certain blonde who lives in the Lawrence's house, so she still refused the offer until…

"Oh my God, Carmilla what happened?!" 

Laura heard the shocked remark of Joyce together with the sound of rain falling in crazy chaotic drops and feeling the gusting wind blowing inside the house upon opening the front door; she stood from the couch and walked to the direction of the door at once. There she saw a very haggard and drenched Carmilla being held by Joyce from the hips, to avoid the brunette from falling.

"Laura, quick, take her other arm and help me put her on the couch," Joyce ordered, with panic in her voice.

Laura caught Carmilla before she collapsed and they both took her arms and walked to the couch and laid Carmilla. 

"Laura, could you get some warm blankets, towels and some of Danny's clothes?" Joyce said at once, worried. "This girl would get pneumonia if we don't get her out of her clothes."

Laura silently nodded and ran towards upstairs to get the things that Joyce requested. After less than three minutes, she was handing Joyce the warm blankets and dry clothes. She eyed discreetly at the sleeping Carmilla, and caught the smell of alcohol in the air. The brunette was certainly intoxicated. Suddenly her eyes darted at the brunette's flat stomach and smooth porcelain like skin as Joyce removed the black shirt of the brunette. Laura suddenly began to feel warm as her eyes gaze at the beautiful torso of Carmilla and caught glimpse of the brunette's small perky round breasts, as Joyce continued to stripped Carmilla off her wet clothes and put on a dry clothes. 

"Laura, can you help me remove Carmilla's pants?" Joyce asked, "I don't know how Carmilla managed to put these very tight leather pants of hers."

Her ogling was interrupted when she saw Joyce staring at her as if waiting. "Excuse me?" She suddenly felt embarrassed and guilty at her eyes secretly feasted on Carmilla's almost naked form.

"I said, take off Carmilla's pants," Joyce repeated.

"What?!" She felt even more embarrassed and hope that the heat that was crawling in her face was not obvious. She gulped at what she heard from Joyce. "You want me to undress her?" was her stupid and yet baffled remark.

"Yes, because if we let Carmilla sleep in these wet leather pants, she would surely gonna get pneumonia and I need to dry her off at once." Joyce reasoned out.

Still hesitating, "Umm… are you sure Carmilla wouldn't mind? Because I feel like I'm about to molest her," was her sheepish reply.

"Laura, you're not molesting her, you're saving her from getting sick! Take her pants off!" Joyce ordered, while towel drying Carmilla's head.

Laura felt that she was suddenly awoken from her reverie and removed Carmilla's black leather boots followed by the socks. Then she moved closer to Carmilla and stared for a moment at the brunette's flat abs, before she put her hands on the leather pants button fly and started to open it and slowly pulled it down. Laura gasped at what she discovered and she felt a tingling sensation upon realizing that Carmilla was not wearing any underwear, as her eyes caught a glimpse of a neatly trimmed dark pubic hair. Suddenly she felt very hot in the room. She gathered her composure before calling Joyce's attention. 

"Err… Joyce, are you sure you want me to take off her pants? Because she seemed not decent," she commented and pointed out Carmilla's half opened fly.

"Sweetie, we're going to eventually take off her underwear too, so I guess it's a good thing that Carmilla wasn't wearing anything, the easier for you to undress her," was Joyce nonchalant remark. "And don't be embarrass, I think Carmilla wouldn't mind if you see her like that, because she likes being naked. Every time she would sleep over here, she sleeps naked. That's why Danny refused to let her sleep beside her and puts her to the guest's room instead."

Laura felt like all the heat that her body can produce was now pumping inside her, making her delirious after that very informative reply from Joyce. Her mind surprisingly betrayed her as she imagined a very naked Carmilla walking to the room that she was occupying and sleeping beside her.

"Laura, what are you waiting for?" Joyce asked, impatient.

"Huh?! Oh, yeah. Right. Pants. Off." Laura inhaled and exhaled as she uttered every word. She focused on her mission and brought her shaking hands carefully to Carmilla's fly again and took the part from the waist and pulled Carmilla's pants down. She took a deep breath when the sight of Carmilla's mound was fully revealed right before her eyes. She can't help but to glance at the brunette's neatly trimmed pubic area and she surprisingly felt a tingling sensation on her own pubic part. Fuck! What's going on?! She cursed and was annoyed at how her body just reacted at the sight in front of her. Nononono! You are not feeling this… this… this is madness! She berated herself and tore her sight from Carmilla's core and concentrated on pulling the tight leather pants off of Carmilla's leg. She sighed with relief when she successfully pulled it off and laid it on the arm rest of the couch to dry. Well that was tough. She thought and looked at Joyce for further instruction. 

"Didn't you take some underwear from Danny's?" Joyce asked after putting the upper part of Danny's flannel pajamas on Carmilla.

She rubbed the back of her neck and said, "Err… no. I though she won't be needing it since she got her own… but then again, I was wrong," She retorted. "I'll go and get it now." 

"No, stay here," Joyce ordered before she could run upstairs and rose from the couch. 

"It's fine, I know where to find it," was her reply. 

"I need to go to the bathroom anyway, so I'll fetch it," Joyce reasoned out. "Just stay here with Carmilla and make sure that she does not fall from the couch. I wouldn't want her ending up in the hospital again."

And before she could refuse, Joyce was already striding towards the stairs and up to the second floor.

"Fuck!" she exclaimed, as she found herself standing closer to a half-naked Carmilla. She tried to evade the sight down under as much as possible, but when she saw Carmilla shifted to the left side of the couch, she positioned herself at once beside the brunette and sat at the edge of the couch near the brunette's stomach, making herself a human barricade so that Carmilla would not fall. She was thankful that Carmilla was already in a fetus position and the pubic area of the brunette was hidden from her sight. Come on, hurry up. How long does it take to fetch an underwear and pee?!

"No! I won't marry her! I don't love her!"

Laura was suddenly jolted from where she was sitting and rose as she heard Carmilla shouting. "Carmilla? Are you alright?" she checked on the brunette and moved closer to Carmilla's face, but was surprised when she saw the brunette's eyes still shut. She's having a nightmare. She concluded and sat again beside the brunette, and gazed at Carmilla's face. She worried when she suddenly saw Carmilla's brows contorted, as if the brunette was angry or fighting with someone in her dream. Laura did not hesitate and did the only thing that she felt she has to do. Her hand reached for Carmilla's face and caressed the brunette's cheek while she whispered soothing words to Carmilla's ear. "Shh… it's okay Carmilla, nobody's hurting you," Laura whispered, and checked if there were some changes in Carmilla's expression. But there were still lines of worries in Carmilla's forehead. Laura decided to wrap her arms around Carmilla as she tried again to whisper soothing words on the brunette: "Hey… you're safe now. It's me Laura, you're with me." She whispered lovingly, wanting the nightmare to go away as quickly as possible, and thinking that it will calm Carmilla, Laura kissed Carmilla's forehead, and then her lips trailed small kisses on Carmilla's cheek and then stopped when she heard a weak groan from the brunette. She searched for any changes, but Carmilla's facial expression still looks like she was angry or in pain. So Laura decided to plant small gentle kisses on Carmilla's cheek and cupped the brunette's face, until her lips finally peck on Carmilla's lips. But she was surprised when the brunette shifted a little and Carmilla's lips captured her lips and did not let go. What the?! She wondered and was shocked. She pulled right away from the kiss and stared at the brunette's face. And there it was: Laura saw a naughty smirk planted on the brunette's face, her eyelids were half open and Carmilla licked her own lips, before saying, "You taste delicious, Cupcake."

Laura was exasperated at what just transpired. "You… Immoral jerk face vampire!" Laura blurted out and ran towards the stairs. A confused Joyce met her while she was running up the stairs. She felt humiliated and embarrassed at what had happened. When she reached the guest room that she was occupying, she shut the door and threw herself on the bed.

She was naïve and cares so much that sometimes it leads her into trouble, like now.

Stupid Laura! Why do I have to do that!?

She berated herself and hated that it just came out naturally from her. She was affectionate and sympathetic in nature and these were the traits that makes her, her. But the one thing she was puzzled was why can't she stop caring for this annoying, arrogant and rude person? Why can't she just stop being nice to her? And the worst thing she discovered was how her body reacted at the sight of naked Carmilla. 

What the frilly heck is going on with me?!

Before she could torture herself of all the questions that were bothering her, she heard a knock on the door followed by Joyce's voice calling her.

"Laura?! We need to take Carmilla to the hospital!"

She jerked right away from her bed and ran towards the door and opened it.

"Why?! What happened to her?" was her worried remark.

"Well, I told you to look after her, because she might fall down from the couch," Joyce related carefully, not wanting to upset her. "It turns out that, right after you left her, I found her on the floor. I think Carmilla broke her nose."

Crap! She panicked and felt guilty. "I'm sorry Joyce, it's my fault… I… I got mad at her that's why I left."

"Laura, I'm not blaming you. Whenever Carmilla is drunk she always ends up hurting herself unintentionally. I have witnessed that. But right now we need to hurry up and get her to the hospital, before she falls again from the couch," Joyce suggested and they both hurriedly went downstairs.

*****

It was almost midnight when they arrived home from the hospital and they were both helping Carmilla on the way to Danny's room. She felt relieved when they finally laid the still intoxicated brunette on Danny's bed.

"Thanks Laura, try to get some sleep now. You have a big day to face tomorrow," Joyce suggested. 

She almost forgot that tomorrow was the first day of her baby-sitting job. Joyce was able to find her a part time job when one of Joyce's co-workers asked if someone can recommend a good baby sitter. And Joyce mentioned her name at once, even though she had no experience on baby-sitting. She had begged Joyce to give her any part time job as long as it would not involve her giving her social security number and real name. 

"Alright," she nodded, but before she left she checked again the sight of the sleeping brunette on Danny's bed. "Are you sure Carmilla was drunk, because she kis- I mean I saw her opened her eyes and she talked to me before the accident happened."

"Believe me sweetie, Carmilla is drunk. I saw her many times like this. Sometimes you thought that she was sober, and wakes up but she does not remember a thing of what she did the next morning. So, don't worry about it. Get some rest now."

Laura did not argue anymore and walked to the direction of the guest room.

As she lay on her bed, she cannot help thinking about the brunette that was sleeping on the other side of the wall. She was suddenly worried that she would always see Carmilla and she does not trust her body how it will going to react the next time she find herself face to face with the brunette. She could still recall the perky round breast and neatly trimmed mound of Carmilla and she cannot help but to feel warm again. She was hoping that Carmilla would not remember anything that occurred tonight, or she would definitely be on the end of teasing and mocking. But she wondered how anyone cannot resists to kiss those red thin lips; how can anyone not resists touching that perfect jaw line and smooth face?

***** 

It was already five in the afternoon when she arrived at the Lawrence's house. The house was quiet and she knew that Joyce won't be back before seven. She had two hours to prepare dinner and she does not have any idea what to cook.

She walked to the kitchen and checked what was inside the fridge and just found ripe tomatoes, onions, garlic and a baguette inside. She checked the dairy storage and was glad to find a small block of Parmesan cheese. She did not bother checking the freezer since she was not a fan of frozen food. As soon as she closed the door of the fridge, she knew right away what food to make out of those few ingredients that she saw. 

"Okay, I just need some basils and pasta, and everything would be fine," she said to herself as she opened all the doors to the cupboard and was happy to find the pasta at the last cupboard. She ran to the sink and cut some basil from among the pots of herbs that were lined up near the window of the kitchen's sink. 

When she arrived at the Lawrences house she started planting these herbs and spices at Joyce's kitchen. She told Joyce that she love cooking and using fresh ingredients. And since then, Joyce began to buy more fresh fruits and veggies and let her do what she love. She took out the tallest pot and filled it with water and put on the stove. Then she put the apron and washed her hands and took the three kinds of veggies that she saw in the fridge together with the Parmesan cheese. 

When the water reached its boiling point she put the tomatoes and boiled it for five minutes until she saw the tomato skin loosened. She took a bowl of cold water and put ice in it. Then she fished out the tomatoes from the boiling water and put it on the cold bowl of water with ice. Once she knew that the tomatoes where cold and ready to be peeled, she took them one by one and removed the skin and the seed. Then she put water again on the pot and boiled it. Once it reached the boiling point she put some salt and then threw the spaghetti on the boiling water.

She then checked the oven and once she saw that it reached the correct temperature she put the tray with sliced baguette with butter and oregano inside.

Once all of the ingredients and equipment that she needed were on the counter top, she retrieved the sauté pan and put some olive oil on it. While the pan was heating she quickly peeled the garlic and finely chopped it and tossed it on the pan, followed by a finely chopped onion and lastly the cut blanched tomatoes. She inhaled the aroma from the pan liked she always did. The smell of sautéed onion, garlic and tomatoes always make her smile. It reminded her of the days that she and her mother spent in their kitchen teaching her how to cook. She tasted the sauce and added a pinch of sea salt and put some freshly ground black pepper. Then she chopped the basil and mixed it with the sauce and let it simmer. She checked her pasta and took one strand; once she felt that it was al dente, she poured the pasta on the strainer and drained it off; she put the pasta on the simmering sauce and removed the pan from the heat. She checked the clock from the wall and was satisfied that she still have fifteen minutes before Joyce arrived. 

She hurriedly took two deep plates from the cupboard followed by two wine glasses and put it on the table. She retrieved two forks and spoons from the cutlery drawer and placed it on the table. Then she walked to where the wine rack was and scanned for the right wine to go with her pasta. 

"Oh! Valpolicella! Perfect." She exclaimed and uncorked it at once. She filled a quarter of her glass, then held it by the thin stem and swirled the red liquid before sniffing it. She closed her eyes as she caught the delicious cherry scent.

She was about to taste the wine when a voice caught her attention.

"Good morning Cupcake!"

Laura almost dropped the glass that was in her hand after hearing the low raspy voice and she saw Carmilla standing by the door of the kitchen, her hair disheveled and it hotly suited the brunette. Carmilla was only dressed in checkered pajama shirt with only the middle button keeping it closed. The lower pajama was gone emphasizing the creaminess of her legs.

"Holy fuck!" she cursed in her thoughts, forgetting that they have an unwanted guest in the house. She began to pray as she felt heat crawled in her entire body. "I hope she's wearing something underneath that oversized pajama shirt, or else help me God!"

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year to everyone! I wish you all the best in 2016. Thanks again for your lovely comments and kudos :-)


	10. Blame It On Laura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third time Laura saved Carmilla's life, when Carmilla had an asthma attack after trying to unconsciously impress a 'certain girl'.

"Like what you see, Cupcake?"

Laura shook her head to wake herself from the brunette's spell, and lifted her sight from Carmilla's legs and looked through those naughty dark orbs. "What?!" was her defensive reaction. "You are so full of yourself!" she retorted and saw that naughty smirked still pasted on the brunette's face, as if mocking her. "To tell you honestly, I don't have a slight attraction towards you, so you could stop with the seduction eyes." She commented and hoped that the warm feeling that her body was experiencing now was not leaving any trace on her face.

"Then how come you looked like a red beet right now?" Carmilla teased and lifted her left eyebrows.

"Because I just took a sip of red wine and it made my body warm," Laura reasoned out. "And if you're thinking of eating with us, I suggest that you dress decently."

"No worries Cupcake, I'm just here to get some coffee, and I have no intention of eating together with you," Carmilla returned and walked to the kitchen counter where the French press was located. She opened the cupboard above it and took a mug and poured the brewed coffee on it. She was waiting for the blonde to retaliate but did not hear a single word. When she turned around, Laura's facial expression had softened.

"I made a lot of pasta, you're welcome to join us when Joyce arrive," was Laura's gentle remark.

"Thanks Cutie, but I don't have any decent dress to wear so that I could dine with you," Carmilla retaliated. "And I hate any food with garlic."

"I'm already trying to be nice, and you're still being an ass!"

"I'm just being honest! And besides, you're the one who started it," the brunette snarled.

Laura clenched her teeth and before retaliating, she took a deep breath. 

Arrrrrggghhhhhh!

Laura groaned in her thoughts. If killing was not a sin, she would have killed Carmilla a long time ago. But she would not give the brunette the pleasure of watching her headed towards a breaking point. She was kind and gentle by nature and she never thought that there was someone who could drive her to the dark side, as she felt this anger threatening to explode. 

Calm down Laura. You could do this. You've been kind to everyone…even to animals; and to this sociopath vampire in front of you!

She took one look again of Carmilla trying to convince herself that she does not have a slight attraction to this sociopath vampire, because nothing in Carmilla entices her.

"Are you checking me out again, Cutie?" 

Laura shook her head and was snatched from assaying the sociopath vampire. She got annoyed and grinned like the devil. "No, I'm just trying to analyze how you thought you're god's gift to women, when you're so pale and don't even have muscles on your arms or six packs on your stomach." After delivering those words, she saw the confidence on Carmilla's face vanished and was replaced by annoyance. Then the brunette walked closer to her and glared at her.

"For your information, I don't need to work out and get a tan just to attract somebody, because I can make someone fall for me just by looking at them," Carmilla retorted and then invaded the blonde's comfort zone and sniffed Laura's pulse point. "And may I suggest you take a bath; you stinks of garlic, it's such a turn off," Carmilla said before walking out of the kitchen and leaving a dumbfounded blonde.

*****

The following morning, after setting her alarm at 0800, since Danny was not available, she called the next person that she could disturb early in the morning.

"What the hell, Karnstein! It's just eight in the morning, why are you already up in this ungodly hour of the day? Did you just come home from a party or what?"

She heard LaFontaine's sleepy voice complained on the other line, and smirked at the thought of it.

"No, I just woke up," she replied and was surprised that she was already fully awake; perhaps it was her determination, she thought. "Wanna go out for a run today?" she asked, and there was total silence for a moment. "Laf? Are you there?" she asked, confused.

"Did you just asked me to run with you at eight in the morning?"

She heard LaFontaine's another surprised remark over the phone.

"I just thought that, I need to have some colors on my cheeks, and start getting fit," she remarked.

"You hate working out and you hate the sun, what the hell is going on with you?!"

"I'm homeless, jobless, penniless and girlfriendless, and if I stay in this house with that little miss perfect cousin of Danny on a Saturday, I'll go crazy," she snarled and rolled her eyes for having to explain herself.

"Well, you are crazy! Alright, I'll be there in 30 minutes and don't eat breakfast, because Perry is making some blueberry pancakes, we can eat after our run."

"Alright, see you later," she said and ended the conversation. But then she forgot that Laf might meet and talk to Laura when they come to fetch her. She hit the number 4 in her speed dial and heard the annoyed voice of her friend.

"What? Don't tell me you changed your mind, because I've already cancelled my market day with Perry."

"No, no… I'm not cancelling. I just want to tell you that if you happen to see Laura, tell her that… tell her that we're going to the market and not running, okay?" was her hyper remark.

"You're weird Karnstein."

She heard LaFontaine commented before they ended the call. And she realized that she was becoming weirder and crazier with every day that she spend with that crazy blonde who was sleeping under the same roof as hers. 

*****

An hour later, she was already sweating as hell and catching her breath like she had ran a marathon.

"Wait! Can we have a break, I need to catch my breath," she yelled to LaFontaine who was running ahead of her, as she catches her breath and drink water from her bottle.

"We've just started and ran a block," LaFontaine reasoned out.

"There's too much pollen in the air," was her excuse. But she was beginning to feel the tightness in her chest as they passed along the birch trees in the neighborhood. She wanted to go out of the house as fast as she could without Joyce or Laura noticing her and had forgotten to take her allergy med.

"Are you sure you can do this?" was LaFontaine's doubting remark.

"Of course I can!" was her confident answer and started to run again in small paces. There was no way she would surrender now. She needs to have color in her cheeks and skin and needs to be fit, she thought, fully determined.

"What's the deal with you and Danny's cousin?" LaFontaine asked as they ran side by side.

"What do you mean?"

"You told me this morning not to tell Laura that you're running with me, why the need to hide?" they asked growing curious. "And whenever you two are in the same room, it looks like you two are going to tear each other apart."

But before she could react to Laf's question, she stopped and coughed. Then she started wheezing and felt her chest tightening and her airways closing.

"Fuck! Don't tell me you're having an asthma attack?! Where's your inhaler?" was LaFontaine's nervous reaction. And they helped Carmilla to sit under a tree.

But Carmilla cannot speak and pointed to the direction where they came from.

"What?! You left your inhaler in the house? Why didn't you bring it?!" they panic.

She rolled her eyes as she wheezed.

"You're pale and sweating!" they said and took out their cellphone from their pocket. "I'm calling Joyce."

She was about to stop them but she was growing weak and LaFontaine was quick.

"Hi Joyce! It's me LaFontaine," they said over the phone. "Yes, I'm fine, but we have an emergency situation here. Carmilla is with me and we're running and she's having an asthma attack now and forgot her spray. 911?" they commented and saw Carmilla shook her head and pointed to the direction of the Lawrence's house. "No, she said there's no need for 911. She just needs her asthma inhaler. Could you please find it and take it here… near the farmer's grocery. Thanks."

After talking to Joyce, LaFontaine encouraged their friend to drink some water and rubbed their friend's back. 

Less than five minutes later, they were distracted when they saw a bike stopped in front of them and someone hopped off the mountain bike and ran towards them.

"Laf?! Is she alright?" was Laura's worried comment and kneeled in front of them and handed Carmilla the asthma inhaler right away. "Here you go Carm."

She put the inhaler in her mouth and took a shot and inhaled as deeply as she can. Then she repeated the process. After some minutes, she felt her airways relaxed and she can now breathe easily.

"Thanks Cutie," she uttered softly, humbled at Laura's gesture, and she saw LaFontaine and Laura staring at her with full of worries. "I'm alright now, thanks," she said to Laf and tried to stand, but she almost lost her balance and felt dizzy.

"Woa!" LaFontaine commented and held their friend's waist and supported Carmilla while standing. "You're not going anywhere but home. I think your attempt of running is not recommendable since its 'exercise-induced asthma'. So, whoever this girl you want to impress, you would have to tell her that you cannot-"

"I'm not trying to impress any girl!" she justified and glared at them, irritated at their comment. Worried, she glanced at the blonde in front of her and was surprised and thankful that Laura has not noticed or reacted to LaFontaine's comment.

"Chill out. I thought you have a new girl because you told me you want to get a tan and-" LaFontaine was babbling but stopped when they felt someone stepped on their foot. "Ouch! What the hell?!" they asked and glared at their friend. They released Carmilla and reached out for Laura's hand and motioned for the blonde to take her place. "Laura, please take miss grumpy here. She had been acting like a crazy cat since this morning, and I don't want to spend another minute with her. I might end up having more injuries," LaFontaine added. "Can I borrow your bike? I need to catch up with Perry." 

"It's Danny's bike actually, but you can borrow it," Laura returned and smiled.

"Hey! You can't leave me here!" was Carmilla's irritated remark.

"You just stepped on my toes; who knows what you might do next? I'm not taking any chances," LaFontaine reproached and took the bike from the ground. "Try to behave and don't bite Laura!" they said before leaving. "I'll see you guys later!"

"I guess you don't have any choice now," Laura expressed and tightened her hand around Carmilla's small waist as LaFontaine disappeared from their sight.

"Just my luck," she said with a hint of sarcasm and smirked at the blonde and noticed that Laura was still wearing her lilac pajama shorts and matching tee with a pink bear that has a red and pink heart on its tummy. She was amused to see Laura's choice of sleepwear. Then she furrowed her brows and looked at the blonde. "Did you just get out of bed?"

"Yes, I just woke up and was on my way to the bathroom to wash when Joyce received an emergency call, saying that someone was having an asthma attack and need her inhaler. And just like the bear on my tee, I love helping others even if the person is grumpy and rude," Laura retorted and narrowed her eyes and looked at Carmilla. "Do you have some kind of a death wish?"

She frowned and glared at the blonde beside her, "What are you talking about?" was her annoyed reaction.

"Because I always end up saving your life," was Laura's nonchalant reply, careful not to sound arrogant. "Just call me your guardian angel."

She smirked at Laura and raised an eyebrow, "More like a guardian devil, I'd say," she snarled.

"How dare you call me guardian devil?" Laura reprimanded and released her hand from Carmilla's waist and faced the brunette, as if ready to confront her enemy. "I gave my blood to you, so you can live; I took you to the hospital when you broke your nose, and today I brought your asthma inhaler so that you could breathe properly, and this is all I get as a thanks?! You know what? You could just go home by yourself!" and with that, she strode towards the house never turning back. She was so angry that she did not care at all if Carmilla could make it to the house or not. She had already given Carmilla the asthma inhaler, and she was confident that the brunette would be alright.

"You'll be held liable if something happened to me, because you neglected to help a dying person!" Carmilla shouted back and did not move from where she was standing, and smirked naughtily at the sight of the blonde striding back to the Lawrence's house. "Let's see how your conscience would last?" was her diabolical remark, and stroke her chin.

*****

"Laura?"

She focused her sight immediately at the couch after opening the door and saw Joyce rose to meet her. 

"Hi Joyce!" she said and closed the door behind her.

"Have you seen Carmilla?"

"Err… yeah, when I gave her the inhaler, why?" she asked, growing anxious. It's already dark and when she arrived this morning after giving Carmilla the inhaler, she told Joyce that Carmilla was fine and opted to stay outside instead of going back home. And she reassured Joyce that the brunette has her asthma inhaler, in case Carmilla would have another attack. "Have you checked her room?"

"I did. And she's not there," Joyce replied. "I've tried calling her but it goes directly to her voice mail. I called LaFontaine and they told me that Carmilla isn't with them. Did she mention where she's going today?"

Suddenly, she felt guilty of leaving the brunette alone this morning. She was expecting that Carmilla were already home, when she arrived from hiking in the nearby forest. She wanted to avoid Carmilla and she told Joyce that she would go for a hike and they could eat lunch and dinner without her.

"Maybe she's with her other friends?" she said, trying not to make Joyce worried.

"Carmilla doesn't have any friends, aside from Danny, LaFontaine and Perry," Joyce explained. "And I heard that Ell had broken up with her after finding out that Carmilla's broke. I never like that girl, when Carmilla brought her ex-girlfriend here."

Suddenly, her curiosity was piqued. "Why? How's that Ell as a person?"

"Ell is very beautiful and sophisticated," Joyce related. "She's actually a model, and I'm telling you, she's the high maintenance type. I heard from Danny that Carmilla showers her with expensive gifts and gives Ell anything she wants. That's why when Ell found out that Carmilla was disinherited; she broke up with Carmilla right away." 

"I think Carmilla should be thankful that they broke up," Laura replied. "It's obvious that her girlfriend is a gold digger and just wants her money."

"I agree, I think Carmilla deserve someone better," Joyce said and gazed at Laura. "Don't you find Carmilla attractive, Laura?"

She widened her eyes and was surprised at the comment of her mother's ex. She was not expecting that Joyce would play cupid between her and the rudest and most arrogant person she had met in her life.

"Oh no, Carmilla isn't my type," she defended at once, and knew right away what Joyce would tell her.

"Oh come on sweetie, I think you both are perfect for each other," Joyce teased and smiled at Laura. 

"We are totally the opposite," she warned at once.

"Well, that's the beauty of it, Laura," Joyce explained. "You will complement each other. If you're the sun, Carmilla is the moon. You like to talk a lot, but Carmilla is always quiet. You love going outdoors, while Carmilla love staying at home and reading. When she's weak, you're strong. And when she's sad and brooding, you're always smiling and cheery."

"And I think all of those things are bad recipe for a marriage," she reproached and before Joyce could utter a retort, they heard a loud knock on the door.

They ran towards the door and opened it right away after Joyce checked who it was. Once the door opened, LaFontaine emerged with a very exhausted looking Carmilla on their arms.

"Laf? What happened?" was Joyce's worried question, and guided them to the couch with Carmilla, while Laura took right away Carmilla's other arm and helped LaFontaine carry the brunette to the couch.

"I'm on my way here to return Danny's bike, and passed at her and found her in front of the farmer's grocery; the same place where I left her and you this morning," LaFontaine explained and looked at Laura. "I thought you took her home with you?"

Laura was suddenly panicking and did not know what to say, her guilt was consuming her. "I'm sorry, I thought she's already okay, and that's why I left her alone."

"But why did you left her alone?" was Joyce suspicious remark.

Laura was beginning to feel confused. She did not mean to leave Carmilla like that. She knew that Carmilla felt alright and was capable of going home alone after she left her. She did not know if she would tell the truth about why she left Carmilla. But she does not want to sound like a child. She paused for a moment as she saw LaFontaine and Joyce waiting for her to explain. She took a deep breath and decided to tell the truth.

"We've actually had a fight," Laura began and swallowed hard to clear her throat. "You're friend keep on teasing me and I snapped and walk out from her. So, yeah, I left her there without thinking that she might be still sick or weak to go home. And I'm sorry for being irresponsible and for letting my anger clouded my judgement. I take full responsibility if something bad happened to Carmilla." Then she felt a hand touched her shoulder from behind, she turned around and saw Joyce nodding.

"It's alright sweetie, it's not your fault," Joyce said calmly. "We've just all been worried and exhausted. What's important now is Carmilla's safe. Laf, is Carmilla awake?"

"No, she's probably exhausted because she's been out there since this morning," LaFontaine answered and put another pillow on Carmilla's head, and made sure that the brunette's lying comfortably. "I think you should let her sleep here on the couch. I'll go home now, Perry might be wondering what took me so long," they said and rose from the couch and walked to Laura and hugged her. "Don't worry Laura, she's alright, and I'm sorry that I accused you right away of leaving Carmilla. I forgot that my friend could be a pain in the ass sometimes," LaFontaine whispered and then released from the embrace and smiled at Laura.

"Thanks Laf, don't worry, I'll take care of her, since it's my fault that she became more sick," was Laura's soft remark and glanced at the fragile looking Carmilla on the couch.

"Good night and thanks LaFontaine," Joyce said and walked them through the door.

"Goodnight Laf," Laura uttered before they step outside.

Once the door closed, Laura put a blanket on Carmilla right away. She stared at Carmilla and she cannot help blaming herself from what happened to the brunette.

"Joyce, you can go up, I'll lock," Laura said. "I think I'll stay here tonight with Carmilla, to make sure that she's alright," was her guilty remark.

"Laura, you don't need to stay awake and-" Joyce was saying.

"No, I'll try to sleep too," Laura replied. "I just want to make sure that she'll sleep well and comfortably." She said and still heard Carmilla wheezing.

"Alright, goodnight," Joyce returned and smiled at Laura. "Oh, I'm already done taking a bath. If you want to take a shower first you can do it now, while I look out for Carmilla.

Having been out the whole day in the forest, Laura nodded right away and headed upstairs. "Thanks Joyce," she said.

"I'm gonna lock the doors now!" Joyce added and walked to the kitchen.

"Alright!" Laura shouted back from upstairs.

Once she felt Joyce left the living room, Carmilla opened her eyes and smirked naughtily and was looking forward spending the night together with Laura.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... I wonder how many are still interested in this story…


	11. Sharing The Night Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when Laura and Carmilla spend the night together?

Laura felt refreshed after that shower and had chosen to wear her sleeveless black tank top with the head of Hello Kitty on it in neon pink with matching pink shorts with small Hello Kitty head prints. She took with her downstairs her favorite yellow pillow that had been with her when she escaped from home since she never sleeps without it, and a fluffy white velvet blanket, to make sure that she can sleep comfortably even if she was about to sleep on a 2-seater sofa since Carmilla was already occupying the long couch. 

Before switching off the light, she walked towards the brunette that was lying on her back and checked Carmilla's breathing. She can still hear a low wheezing, but the breathing had steadied; she tucked carefully another pillow under the brunette's head to make sure that Carmilla's head was elevated and can breathe properly while asleep. She remembered that her cousin had asthma too and uses two pillows when sleeping. 

Then she found herself gazing at the sleeping form of Carmilla and cannot help but to adore that pale porcelain-like beautiful face that was majestically sleeping peacefully; she cannot deny that this person had a very exquisite jawline, pointy nose like a Greek goddess and thin red lips that was so enticing to kiss. 

Geez, how can you be so beautiful and yet…so rude and arrogant… and not to mention meanie...

She shook her head to wake her up from reality and to stop herself from adoring the person that she hated. She had tried to avoid this kind of persons in her life, knowing that it will just bring her trouble and heartaches. Suddenly, she remembered the first time she fell in love with a girl that had the similar attitude and style like Carmilla. 

She thought that Alex was the one and had even told her that she loves her, but she ended up being deceived and cheated on. Even if they just lasted for a couple of months, she considered her relationship with Alex the most significant, because she fell in love for the first time. And now, after three years of not committing to anyone, she found herself avoiding potential lovers and not entering into another relationship; afraid to be hurt again. Until she found out that her father had selfishly set her up to marry someone she did not know nor love… now her life was completely ruined and she did not know how long she could hide from her father. She detests her father. She tried to ignore this hatred that was inside her, but it always haunts her and reminded her of her unfinished obligation to her family. The thought of it made her miserable, but she still tried to look cheery and not affected. She told herself that she will try her best to live a normal life and felt lucky that she had found a second family with the Lawrences. She felt loved and still cared for by her mother by remembering to go find Joyce in case she ends up in trouble. And now she was wondering why her mother told her that. Was it because her mother knew her father's selfish nature? 

The sound of roar of thunder followed by heavy downpour outside snatched her from reverie.

"What the…" she was about to cursed but remembered that someone was sleeping. She tiptoed towards the window; she watched the heavy drops on the window pane. She cringed when she saw a lightning struck in the sky followed by an explosion of thunders. And a few seconds later, the power went off and there was total darkness.

"Cupcake?"

She was surprised when she heard the familiar raspy voice of Carmilla and for a while, she though that Carmilla sounded scared. But before she could reply, another thunder explosion was heard and this time, she knew that Carmilla was panicking.

"Laura, where are you?!"

She heard the panic and fear in Carmilla's voice. She fumbled her way to the darkness and almost stumbled on the center table before she reached where Carmilla was lying. She gets in the blanket at once and lied beside the brunette.

"Hey, I'm here…" was her soft consoling reply and her first instinct was to wrap her arms around the scared young woman beside her. She was caught off guard, when Carmilla burrowed her head on her bosom like a frightened child and clung unto her, like her life depends on Laura. She did not expect that this bad ass arrogant brat that had been making her life crazy was a softy and not to mention, scared of the dark and thunder. But she did not tease her, and instead, she held her tight and comforted the brunette in her arms. "It's alright… I got you," was her reassuring remark as she felt Carmilla cringed every time the thunder roared. She lulled Carmilla back to sleep. She began to hum the lullaby that her mother used to sing to her whenever she felt scared on Carmilla's ears softly, to protect her from the roars of thunders and the sound of heavy downpour outside. Then she found herself singing like her mother used to sing it to her…

À la claire fontaine m’en allant promener  
J’ai trouvé l’eau si belle que je m’y suis baigné.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai

Sous les feuilles d’un chêne, je me suis fait sécher.  
Sur la plus haute branche, un rossignol chantait.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai

Chante, rossignol, chante, toi qui as le cœur gai.  
Tu as le cœur à rire… moi je l’ai à pleurer.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai

J’ai perdu mon amie sans l’avoir mérité,  
Pour un bouton de rose que je lui refusai…

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai

Je voudrais que la rose fût encore au rosier,  
Et que ma douce amie fût encore à m'aimer

When Laura finished the song, all she could hear was the steady and yet low wheezing of Carmilla's breath. She sighed when she finally felt Carmilla calmly sleeping. She closed her eyes and was soothed by the warm and comforting breath of Carmilla, knowing that the brunette was nuzzled protectively in her bosom. She held Carmilla tight, and took this chance to sniff the distinct smell of the brunette and smiled, as they both lied on their sides, their bodies close to each other as they try to fit in the small couch. She did not know why she suddenly felt like protecting this person. Her nurturing instinct might have kicked in, knowing that Carmilla was scared and sick. It did not mattered anymore what had happened lately, or the other day, or the fact that she hated Carmilla, or that Carmilla had always been an ass towards her. But the darkness, the sound of angry rain splattering on the roof and the explosion of thunder outside was telling her that she needs to comfort this person beside her and make her feel secured. Nothing had stopped her and she just had to give in. 

As she tried to debate whether or not this was a good idea or not, she suddenly felt the result of the spontaneous five hour hike in the forest earlier, as her muscles ached and her body became heavy; and the next thing she knew, sleep was claiming her too. 

 

*****

When Laura woke up that morning, she found herself in a very awkward position and she tried to recall how she ended up like that. 

Her eyes widened as she found Carmilla nuzzled in her bosom, she tried not to move too much so as not to wake the sleeping brat beside her, but when Carmilla shifted a bit, she discovered that her left breasts was cupped by a hand that does not belong to her.

Fuck!

Was all she could utter as the warmth crawled in her body, and was aroused when she realized that Carmilla's hand was possessively touching her breast underneath her tank top. She instantly felt a tingle inside her shorts and elicited a low moan. She prayed to all the saints in heaven, not to lead her into temptation and tried to recite as many saint names as she can recall, while she fight this sinful thought and sensation.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you want to know the translation of the song, I like this version very much; here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9kWRpPy1ic


	12. Lovers From the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Carmilla and Laura continued to grow 'hating' each other, their bodies and mind does the opposite.

Basking in the aftermath of their love making, Laura reached for the white sheet and covered their naked bodies. 

Carmilla remained lying on her side and put her right hand around Laura's waist and nuzzled in the warmth of Laura's cleavage, burrowing her face deeper in between those breasts. She loved the smell of Laura. 

She purred when Laura's arms wrapped around her face, kissed her head gently and pressed her closer to those round soft breasts; it's her favorite place. She felt secured and loved whenever she was in this position. Her eyelids were getting heavier and sleep was ready to claim her but was snatched from dozing off when she felt Laura began to shake and giggle.

"I bet you're a cat in your past life," Laura claimed.

She furrowed her brows. When she looked up she was surprise to see Laura's amused expression. She grumbled and nuzzled back on Laura's cleavage.

"Don't be grumpy," Laura quipped. "You're just so cute and fuzzy when you purr…"

Carmilla was about to protest and tell Laura that she's a future king and powerful; not cute and fuzzy. But once she felt Laura's hand caressing the spot under her right ear, she can't control herself and she elicited a long purr. She felt ashamed after she realized that Laura had managed to discover her sensitive 'soft spot', she burrowed her face deeper in between Laura's breasts to avoid further humiliation.

"Aha! I knew it!" Laura exclaimed and released from the embrace.

Carmilla hid her face on Laura's yellow pillow. Not contented, she snuggled beneath the warm sheet and covered her head. "Go ahead and humiliate me more," she said in a muffled sound. Suddenly she felt Laura's arms gathered her. Laura cupped her face and motioned for her to look up.

"Hey, I'm not humiliating you," Laura whispered.

Carmilla then received a tender kiss from the love of her life and she smiled at the gesture. Showing her emotions and weakness was unacceptable according to her mother; she never realized that Laura could elicit these feelings from her.

"I want you to know that you could be yourself or whatever you want to be when we're alone and in bed," Laura commented. "And my love for you wouldn't change a bit."

She felt like her heart melting after that remark.

"Thank you Cupcake," Carmilla said and can't find the right words at how to express what she feels now. She kissed Laura passionately and put all her emotions and love in the kiss.

After Laura released from the kiss, "Well, you may be cute… but you're one hell of a kisser," Laura stated after catching her breath. 

Carmilla let out a low chuckle and felt her confidence returned.

"So, are you going to take back what you've said?" she asked and received a narrow look from her Cupcake.

"That you're so cute and fuzzy?"

Carmilla nodded and smirked as she tried to regain her pride.

"Nope," Laura returned. "In fact, I wish you have a fur and a tail so that I can cuddle with you all the time."

Carmilla groaned after hearing that statement, rolled her eyes and burrowed her face back in between Laura's breasts; there's no way that Laura will let her win this argument. She inhaled the sweet scent of Laura's and tried to calm herself from being humiliated further. 

 

Laura tried to control another moan that was about to escape her mouth as the maddening sensation of Carmilla's hand cupping her breast aroused her like hell. She was about to release from the hold and on the act of rising and held carefully Carmilla's hand so that it would not fall and wake Carmilla, but her attention was caught by a low sound coming from the person that was lying next to her.

What the..? 

But before she could react and distinguish if the sound was a mumble, a moan or a purr she saw Carmilla's eyes opened wide.

Suddenly, they found themselves staring at each other with the same panic and shocked expression.

"Holy fuck!" Carmilla exclaimed as she was snatched from her bizarre, and yet erotic dream. She did not expect the object of her very 'disturbing dream', was beside her, as she came face to face with a very shocked Laura. Panicking, she rose at once and did not notice that they were on a little couch; Laura almost fell but managed to regain her balance and stood right away beside the couch. "Why are you on top of me?" she accused the bewildered, and yet innocent sweet little Cupcake in Hello Kitty tank top and shorts, which she finds adorable. She was just having a very naughty and very strange dream and now she found herself panicking and cannot distinguished reality from a dream anymore due to her disorientation. But she was too proud to admit anything, so... "Are you trying to molest me?!" she asked, to mask her embarrassment and guilt.

After everything that she had done for this arrogant brat, just so Carmilla would feel secured and calm, the last thing Laura wants to hear was somebody trying to put blame on a mistake that she did not commit.

"Wha-?! Excuse me?!" Laura replied, ears burning with rage. "If I recall, you're the one who's molesting me!"

Disoriented, she furrowed her brows and glared at the blonde. "What are you talking about Cupcake? You're the one who's sleeping beside me and was about to go on top of me! If I haven't woke up maybe you could have done something non-PG to me."

"What the frilly fuck?! You're the one who's groping my breast when I woke up!" Laura retaliated.

Carmilla's eyes widened and realized that the last part was not a dream anymore! …To hide further her mistake and kinkiness, she composed herself and pretended to be unconcerned. "Don't try to turn the table on me, Cupcake. I have no idea what you're talking about," was her innocent reply and averted Laura's eyes, and she stood from the couch to face the now fuming little ball rage of sunshine. "In the first place I don't know how I even end up sleeping on the couch… was this your idea?" she taunted and motioned for the couch.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" was Laura's controlled and yet high pitched remark. She felt like exploding with rage as she heard all these lies. "LaFontaine took you home last night because you're so stubborn, mean and not to mention selfish, oh and don't forget, diabolical, since you successfully made me the bad one here, because everybody was worried that I left you outside 'dying'. And since we don't want you to get more sick and uncomfortable, we decided to let you sleep here instead, so as not to disturb you and I was, oh, maybe Carmilla still doesn't feel well, so this little idiot remained here beside you to make sure that you're safe in case you had another asthma attack. And it turned out that there was a bad storm last night, and someone shouted for my name because I believe, someone is very scared of thunder, lightning and the dark, and as any normal people would do, I pacified and hold that someone until the storm passed and the sun came out," was her angry high pitch babble.

Things slowly became clearer to Carmilla after that explanation, and she now realized how Laura had been gentle and sweet last night when she was panicking after hearing the thunders. "Are you finished now? Because I'm already hungry," Carmilla's only reaction, and glanced at her fingernails, looking as bored and unconcerned as she can muster.

"ARGGGHHH!" was the only words that Laura could speak, after receiving that very apathetic reply; and before she could throw another litany to the arrogant and narcissist brunette…

"Laura? Are you alright?"

They both turned their attention to the direction of the voice and saw Joyce standing by the foot of the stairs behind the couch.

To distract the mother of her best friend from her daily dose of bickering with the blonde: "Good morning Joyce," Carmilla greeted calmly and stood quietly, like a meek lamb.

"What's going on here?" was Joyce's puzzled remark.

"I think Cupcake here is having a nervous breakdown," was Carmilla's nonchalant answer and flashed Laura a devilish grin, before facing Joyce seriously.

"Laura, can we help you?"

"No thanks, I feel great and awesome, I think I'll take a hike again in the forest today, to release all the negative energy that touched my body... and before I have an aneurism," Laura retaliated while flashing her adorable killer smile, before striding towards the stairs.

Carmilla remained standing calmly on her spot and gave the blonde a devilish smirk.

 

*****

"Don't you dare do it Will!" she threatened her brother over the phone as she walked to and fro in the Lawrence's kitchen. 

It was almost dusk and Joyce had been out for an hour now buying some ingredients that she had forgotten for their dinner tonight. To make herself useful, Carmilla volunteered to prepare the salad, to which the only food she could make, aside from brewing coffee.

"I haven't found a job yet and all of my credit cards are still suspended and all my savings accounts are still frozen," she tried to explain as calmly as possible to her brother her situation. "When I get my money back, I will pay you everything, double the amount that I am borrowing from you now," she uttered like a decent human being, and gave Will an offer he cannot refuse, since she knew how greedy her brother was. Suddenly her attention was diverted from their conversation when she heard the front door opened. "Someone is here, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow at the Lustig, and don't you ever think of not showing up, or I'll kill you… and don't forget my ten grand!"

Seconds after she ended her conversation with her brother, the door to the kitchen swung open and Carmilla's attention was caught by a very sweaty and exhausted blonde wearing a black ultra-tight yoga pants and dark gray tank top, that walked right into the kitchen and went straight to the fridge. Carmilla's eyes discreetly check out the blonde that was drinking water from a bottle, in front of the fridge. She licked unconsciously her lips as her eyes scanned at the well-toned biceps and perfectly round tight ass, and she found herself ogling at the blonde's butt. 

"Are you done checking me out?" 

Laura's voice tore her out from her lascivious thoughts and darted her eyes quickly at the blonde's face and saw a smug little cupcake staring back at her. She got annoyed after being caught and she hated herself for being weak when it comes to human flesh. She snorted and displayed her cool confident indifferent arrogant image to cover up her crime.

"In your dreams Cupcake," she quipped. "I was looking at the hole in your yoga pants…"

"Wha-? I don't have a…" Laura retorted and looked behind her, she felt all of her blood rushed into her face when she discovered a hole on the left butt of her yoga pants.

"By the way… cute underwear," Carmilla expressed in her most sarcastic voice and naughtiest smirk. "I'm sure you'll catch lots of girls' or boy's attention with that." She teased, winked at the blonde and walked out of the kitchen smoothly before Laura could retort.  Nice save, Karnstein! She praised herself from getting away from being caught in the act. 

"Arrrggh!" was all Laura could utter after the door closed in front of her face. She hated that Carmilla can easily get into her nerves and get away from all those naughtiness. Irritated, she slammed the door of the fridge and decided to skip dinner. She strode towards the door and ran upstairs. Once she was on the second floor of the house, she glared at the door beside her room and was tempted to confront the brunette that was occupying that room, but decided to drop the idea and just hit the shower instead, to cool off.

*****

After taking a long hot shower and drying her hair, she now found herself yawning as she entered the room she's occupying. She was exhausted and hungry and craving for some chocolate chip cookies and hot choco. But she was also irritated and does not want to see the face of her arrogant house mate, who was now dining at the kitchen together with Joyce. Instead, she removed her bath robe and went straight to bed on an empty stomach. 

It did not take long before her body became relaxed and her breathing steadied…

 

Today was a perfect day as she enjoys the sound of the birds chirping, inhaled the sweet scent of the roses and revere the sight of their spectacular bright colors of red, white, yellow, deep burgundy, light pink, orange, peach and lavender.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing the rays of the sun touching her face and the cool breeze that comes along. The weather here at the Karnstein Kingdom was more pleasant compared to her home.

Maybe it’s not bad at all to live here, she thought. Suddenly, her appreciation of her surrounding was interrupted when she heard a sound behind the bush. She opened her eyes instantly as her heart throbbed; worried that it might be some wild animals. She then turned to the direction of the sound as her eyes caught a figure coming out of the thick bush. She released a breath that she was holding as soon as she recognized the person that was walking towards her.

“I see, you have found my secret garden,” the deep raspy voice uttered. “And it looks like you are having a picnic without inviting me.”

She blushed as she saw the Prince glanced at the white blanket that was spread on the grass beside her; there laid the basket full of cakes and sweets that Perry prepared along with the cup and teapot that came with it.

“Your Highness,” she acknowledged his presence and gave him a bashful smile, glanced at him as he gave her a mischievous smirk before bowing her head. “I apologized if I am invading His Highness' garden, I did not know it.”

“Nonsense,” the Prince replied. “You could come here anytime you want.

“Would Your Highness like to join me?” she suggested carefully, sensing that the Prince was not broody today. Instead of an answer, the Prince asked for her hand and she took it instantly as he held it and led her to the blanket to sit. Even if he was arrogant, she likes it that he was a gentleman.

She gracefully sat on the blanket and when she was already comfortable the Prince took the spot across her and sat quietly, with only the picnic basket separating them. She begun to unload the contents of the basket and laid them one by one. Darn! She worried when she realized that Perry just packed one cup for the tea, knowing that she would be alone. It’s alright Laura, don’t panic. She told herself as she finally laid the teapot on the surface.

“Are you going to eat all of these?” the Prince remarked, his eyes wandered at the sweets around him.

She blushed at the comment as her eyes caught the Prince’s astonish reaction at the sight in front of him.

There laid a cream puff with chocolate ganache on top of it, and another one with crisp caramel glaze on it, beside them were two tartlets with vanilla cream, one with strawberry and the other with blackberry dusted with confectioner’s sugar on top of them and a peppermint leaves as a décor and lastly her favorite, the small round cakes that Perry have always baked for her but had never given a proper name, except Laura’s cakes.

Perry had baked three flavors of those small cakes, the first one was a chocolate, sprinkled with flake of dark chocolate on top, the second one was blueberry with lemon cream and lastly the healthiest of them all according to her because it was a vegetable, the carrot flavor with crushed walnuts, cinnamon and vanilla cream cheese. Who would have thought that a tiny princess like her could consume so many cakes and sweets in one eating!

Feeling embarrassed of her sweet addiction, she asked the Prince shyly, “Would Your Highness like a taste?”

“Which one do you like most?” The Prince asked gazing at her warm cheeks.

“Umm… my favorites were those small round cakes,” she replied pointing on them, and then took the chocolate flavor and gracefully offered it to the Prince. “This is the best.” She uttered and the Prince took the offered cake and put it on his mouth. She stared at him for a moment, totally in awe how he gracefully took a bite and never left a crumb. She took the chance also to glance at his face, since this was the first time that she was face to face with him. She found his jawline very attractive even if it was covered with facial hair.

“Hmmm… that was delicious,” was his satisfied reply. “What is the name of this cake?”

“Umm… I don’t know,” she replied grinning. As soon as she caught the Prince’s confused reaction, "It was actually Perry’s original recipe and she just bakes it exclusively for my consumption."

Seeing that the prince ate the whole cake, she began to pour some tea to the only cup and saucer she had. He was her 'guest' after all, so it was just appropriate to offer him something to drink after eating something sweet.

“Your tea, Your Highness,” she said, presenting him the drink with two hands. She got distracted when the Prince stared at the offered drink and then gave her a smirk and diverted his focus at the two remaining small cakes in front of him, before looking back at her.

“Thank you, Cupcake,” the Prince returned and took the tea from her hand.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked, puzzled. Did he just call me cupcake? she wondered.

“Let’s call these small cakes, Cupcake,” He said to her, as he put the cup of tea beside the two round small cakes.

“Well, that was an excellent idea!” She blurted, giving him a huge goofy smile. She cannot wait to tell Perry that she already found an appropriate name to her favorite dessert. “For a while I thought, Your Highness called me cupcake.”

“I did,” was his nonchalant reply and smirked at her and raised his left eyebrow.

She was about to argue not liking the idea of being compared to a dessert. But the Prince did not give her a chance to comment.

“They kind of look like you; sweet, soft, small and delicious, Cupcake,” he pointed out with a hint of sarcasm.

She blushed at the description, and at the same time a bit annoyed at the nickname. Nobody ever called her another name, except Laura. “Well if it pleases Your Highness to call me that, I have nothing to argue.” she retorted, and gave him a smile. She did not know why she was suddenly enjoying his sarcastic remarks. “More sweets?”

“If you insist,” he returned, as if daring her, giving her again that devilish smirk and lifted his left eyebrow.

She cannot fathom how a man can have perfectly beautiful well- trimmed eyebrow. Most of the men she met do not have perfect eyebrows like him.

Feeling bold, she took the cream puff with chocolate, tore a small piece from it and brought her hand to the Prince’s mouth holding the piece of sweet between her thumb and index finger. She felt the Prince adjusted on his spot and briefly glanced at her before setting his eyes on the sweets, she became nervous as she waited for his reaction. He maintained his composure then he held her hand and to her surprise guided it inside his mouth, feeding him the sweets.

After putting the cream puff in his mouth, she unconsciously touched the Prince’s lips with her index finger, curious at how those thin red lips felt like. But then she realized that she had acted so bold. She nervously gazed at him waiting to be rejected, but she was surprised when she saw fully dilated dark orbs gazing back at her.

The next thing she felt was his mouth enclosing around her index finger and then he sucked it before swirling his tongue around it. She gasped at the sensation and closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of his tongue doing all these wild movements on her finger and before she could not control herself she slowly released it from his hot mouth. Panting she opened her eyes, still overwhelmed. What have I done?!

"I guess we should do more picnics, Cupcake," the Prince suggested smirking.

She bit her lower lip, still recovering from the dizzying contact of her finger against the Prince's tongue.

 

She gasped for air and opened her eyes wide, "Oh god! What the frilly heck was that?!" Laura exclaimed, sat bolt right up from bed as she recovered from a very disturbing and bizarre dream...

 

TBC


	13. Destiny Mocking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura was bothered and haunted by her dream. She still cannot get her mind off from the prince that looked very much like Carmilla.
> 
> Danny was back in their house for a weekend and Laura was thankful to have the redhead's company instead of the 'housemate from hell'.

"What's this?" Carmilla asked while waving the crisp three 500 Euro bills in front of her brother. "This is nothing."

"The atm won't let me withdraw more!" Will exclaim taking a swig of Murauer Bier. He called the bartender's attention for another bottle as he sat in the barstool and smirked at him. "Kitty, unlike you, I only have one credit card and bank card… I like to keep my expenses at a minimum and most economical way."

"Fuck you Will! I told you I'm going to pay you back double the amount," Carmilla hissed and glared at her little brother who seemed to be eyeing the butt of the male bartender in front of him, and not minding every word that she was saying. "Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Will winked at the bartender and gave the bartender a toothy grin after handing him his third bottle. He calmly faced his furious sister and gulped his beer. "You know, you're not the only one who's in trouble," he said and saw Carmilla calmed down and gave him a questioning look. "Mother had monitored my expenses and warned me not to help you."

"But you have a fucking job and a fucking salary. It's your own money, she cannot tell you how you should use your own money," she exclaimed, not accepting Will's excuses. "So, why can't you lend me more of what you're earning?"

While his older sister throws a fit of tantrum, Will composed himself and stared at his 'big sis' before tossing an 'amused anecdote' of… "Because I'm a fucking adult who pays the fucking rent of my own apartment, food, internet, cable, electricity, t.v. license, insurance, mobile subscription, clothes, bus ticket and credit card bills," he ended with a sarcastic grin and he knew that his very matured sister would no longer harassed him for more money. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a bus to catch, since I don't drive this flashy car toys like yours," he quipped, hopped off his seat and leaned in to Carmilla's ear and whispered…"it's either you obey Mother, or be an adult like me. See you around Kitty."

Will was already on his way out of the door before Carmilla could react to her brother's comment. Will's words stabbed like a knife through her. 

After finishing her philosophy degree, she never tries getting a job since she was the eldest, she will eventually inherit her mother's business and get her hands on the Karnstein's vast fortune without sweating a bit. When William showed no interest of being part of running a business, her mother threw the responsibility to her and she had no choice but to accept. But on one condition: that her mother will give her an allowance while she takes a break after finishing school, before she devotes her attention and time to the family business. 

But it had been years now, and she had been slacking since she graduated. 

Sometimes she envied her brother for his determination to live an 'actual decent life' of earning his own money and not being dependent on their mother for any support. 

Back in their college days, Will was friendly, sociable, independent, approachable, and famous and gets invited at every party in the campus, while she on the other hand was broody, loner, cool, aloof, silent type who prefers the company of her books from partying with a bunch of imbeciles and drinking crappy beer. 

Her brother was already teasing her that she will be single forever since she was anti-social and broody. But unbeknownst to Will, she have her own 'party' of one night stands with different girls in the privacy of her dorm room. That's why when Ell accidentally opened the door of her dorm room, looking to party at a certain Karnstein's room; she did not let go of her and was dumbfounded at why this gorgeous human being was asking for her brother when in fact, she have more to offer to this girl than him. 

*****

Was destiny mocking her again?

Was this karma?

Laura asked herself as she recalled the ludicrous dream last night. 

She berated herself on and on and denied it but…

It was completely mind-boggling… 

The peculiarity of the prince's and Carmilla's was alarmingly similar. 

Not only the dream was bizarre but she discovered her underwear moist and she surprisingly enjoyed the sensation of the prince's tongue sucking her finger in the dream. 

And then she questioned her mental state…

Why a prince? 

She was not even attracted to men.

Then again, her thoughts wandered deeper in the forest of confusions as she vividly recalled the resemblance of the prince in her dream and the brat housemate of hers.

…The dark smoldering melancholic eyes.

…The perfectly chiseled jawline.

…The exquisite well-trimmed eyebrows.

…The mischievous smirk.

…The deep raspy but gentle voice.

What the hell was going on? 

Of all the 7.5 billion people living on earth that her brain could manifest in a dream…

Why the person that she hates most in the world?

It could have been some stranger's face or someone she was attracted to… or one of the handsome princes from Europe or even one of the Disney princes! 

But why this condescending, narcissistic, smug, uncaring brat? 

Why Carmilla, who by the way, if it had not been for her mistake of sleeping with this royal brat last night on the couch, she could have sued the said arrogant housemate of hers. However, she does not know how she could explain to the authorities that Carmilla had molested her while sleeping… 

Nonetheless, her dream still overwhelmed and infuriated her!

"Careful Cupcake, your eyes might pop out of its socket," Carmilla commented and put down the book she was reading on the side of the chair. An amused grin played around her mouth as she waited for the blonde sitting across her turned red with embarrassment, "You've been drooling over me for the past minutes… care to share?" she asked, her voice deep and smooth. After what happened the other night, she cannot help but to be challenged and tame this little wild girl that continually resists and defies her.

Laura snapped out of her reverie and shot daggers at the person across her. Carmilla's arrogant remarks always make her blood boil. She still had not forgotten how Carmilla groped her breast and denied to death doing it, and managed to twist the situation in such a wicked way! She ignored the remark, looked down and resumed crocheting the small piece of yarn that she had been working on, and had temporarily forgotten due to the nightmare that had been haunting her since last night.

Had not Joyce asked her to join them for some evening tea and relaxation after dinner, she would had not spent an alone time with this ungrateful condescending brat. The mere sight of this 'sociopath vampire', a name she now refers to Carmilla after she gave her blood to this ungrateful brat, sitting with one leg up on the chair was enough to irritate and annoy her. She had never met anyone that exudes so much arrogance until now.

"Cat got your tongue, Cupcake?"

Laura did not lift her eyes out of the black and lilac yarns that she was intertwining in loops. She took a deep breath and concentrated on her crochet. 

The one thing that Carmilla does not like was silent treatment. She was the one that does this, not the other way around. 

"Hmmm… you normally don't give up when it comes to argument," Carmilla commented and rested her elbow on the knee of the leg that was raised on the chair. "Are you still upset that nothing happened between us the other night-"

"You narcissistic smug condescending uncaring nihilistic sociopath bloodsucking ungrateful royal brat," Laura retaliated and rose from the couch and glared at the brunette. "You had the nerve to still mention that incident, when you're the one who-" She clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes; she can't even say the word 'grope' since it made her furious that someone molested her, and got away with it. Although, technically, she did enjoy the feeling of Carmilla's hand caressing her breast, still, she was mad Carmilla denied it. 

"The one who what Cupcake?" Carmilla taunted nonchalantly, ignoring the fuming tiny blonde in front of her. She put her leg down and straddled, slouched on the couch, and gave Laura a smug look; the one she knew will earn a violent reaction from Laura.

"The one who groped my breast!" Laura bursts and was so furious that she did not even noticed that someone opened the door and entered, and then she heard the door slammed behind her.

"Laura, did someone molest you?" Danny exclaimed and put down the heavy backpack down with a thug. 

Laura shifted her attention behind her and was dumbfounded to find Danny staring at her with a look that could be describe as a 'worried knight' who was ready to attack whoever the person that hurt her. 

She noticed the clenched jawline and Danny's gentle blue eyes morphed into glare. An awkward silence occurred as she lifted her gaze from Danny and glanced at Carmilla, and saw the brunette already standing and waiting for her to expose all the mischiefs. 

But Laura would not give Carmilla the benefit of twisting the situation again, like what happens when Joyce always ask if there's something wrong. She knew the royal brat had already come up with some smart ass story to twist the truth. Instead, Laura decided to go along with Carmilla's diabolical ways.

"Danny! It's so nice to see you again!" was her hyper remark and gave Danny a quick awkward hug. "I'm actually telling your best friend, I dreamt that somebody groped my breast… and the strange thing was… it felt so real I thought I also saw a hickey on my breast while I showered earlier." Laura caught those dark eyes widened with surprise. She controlled the grin that was forming in the corner of her mouth after she noticed Carmilla's uneasiness. 

Fuck!

Carmilla expressed under her breath and avoided those suspicious hazel eyes. She knew that in her dream she was nuzzling in Laura's breasts, but she does not recall sucking it in the dream, so it only meant one thing… she might have sucked Laura's breast in reality but did not recall it, because she was too horny to salvage her erotic dream that she cannot distinguish the reality from the dream anymore.

"It's still not cool that you dreamt of someone molesting you," Danny replied, voice full of concern and gazed at Laura. 

And before Danny could ask further and lead to discovering the truth… "Hey, finally you're home," Carmilla commented. 

The lines on Danny's forehead disappeared and a relieved smile formed in her mouth.

"School is crazy, I tried finishing all my paper reports so that I could go home," Danny expressed her excitement. "I wouldn't want to miss all the fun here. So, what are you two been up to?"

"Not too much!" Carmilla and Laura exclaimed in unison, and they both glanced at each other before looking back at a confused redhead.

"What we mean is everything's fine," Laura chimed in, displaying her signature adorable smile. "Your mom had been an angel and found a part time job for me; I've been baby-sitting some of her colleagues' kids, and so far most of them are satisfied. And I enjoy every single day of it."

"That's great! I'm glad you enjoyed it," Danny returned in a cheery tone, and then crinkled her brows. "By the way, I didn't actually get to ask this… but what do you do before you moved in with us? Don't you have a job to return to?"

Laura was lost for words at the redhead's unexpected inquiry. She does not recall what Joyce told Danny during the first time they met. "Didn't Joyce mention to you?" she croaked, trying to play it cool and fish for some information. 

"No, she didn't mention anything to me," Danny replied with an innocent smile. "She actually keeps on changing the topic whenever I ask something about you."

"You looked pale. Are you hiding something from us?" Carmilla butt in, crossed her arms and raised her left eyebrow.

"No. I'm not hiding anything," Laura retorted and glared at the suspicious brunette. She suddenly felt her blood pressure rising. "Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to interrupt in a conversation?"

"You're not answering the question Cutie; I'm just concerned about my best friend's safety," Carmilla retaliated and walked closer to where the blonde stands. "Who knows, you might have escaped from psychiatric ward or breakout from jail and lied to Joyce about it-"

"Carmilla," Danny warned and stepped in between her best friend and Laura, sensing that the two were still very much like the same the last time she saw them. She thought that these two would get along fine after living under the same roof; but she was wrong. "I think my Mom might have mentioned it, and then I forgot," she commented and faced the distressed blonde beside her. "Anyway, it's not important. You don't need to tell us if you're not comfortable," Danny finished, sensing that Laura tensed. She hated putting people in awkward state and decided to divert the conversation to something else. Danny was about to suggest that they all rest, since the two probably had an exhausting day, but when she saw Laura turned to her best friend, she knew the bickering was not over. 

Facing Carmilla, "I used to work in a vineyard," Laura replied and turned serious as she recalled her real life. "I helped in planting and maintenance of a vineyard, like pruning and trimming growing vines, handpicking grapes, crushing and pressing, fermenting it… things like that." She explained with passion and did not elaborate more for fear of exposing her identity. "It's not a glamorous job, but I could say that I'm good at it," she added, proud at her ability of being a part of a family that had been producing one of the best wines in Austria. "I hope I cleared any suspicions that are brewing in your mind. And you're right," she said, her voice firm and looked at Carmilla straight in the eyes. "I felt like I breakout from jail when I escaped from the vineyard that I used to work. Because even if I've work hard and dedicated my life working in his vineyard, the owner does not care about my welfare as his worker and dau-" she choked on the last word as her hatred to her father emerged and she was overcame by her emotions.

"Laura, you don't have to-" Danny was saying.

But before the redhead could finish her sentence, Laura walked out and went straight to the main door, and out into the chilly evening air, too upset to stay and face both two unsuspecting people who do not have the slightest idea of what she was going through. 

As much as possible she does not want to drag other people in her personal problem, especially these people that she just met recently. Joyce have been kind enough to let her live with them, it was enough that only one person knew. She does not want more people to worry and sympathize with her. She walked aimlessly through the street, her thoughts in terrible turmoil and rubbed the tear off her face, she had been strong lately but recalling her father marrying her off to someone she does not know and love brought back all the emotions that she was suppressing. 

She hated her father!

She hated her father for selling her to an unknown person in order to save him from bankruptcy!

She hated her father for being an egoistic parent and for not letting her pursues her own dream of becoming a teacher and giving her the responsibility of managing their vineyard!

She hated her father for being over protective and always keeping her inside their house!

She hated her father for controlling her life!

She hated her father for not giving her free-

Laura was yanked out of her deliberation when she heard a loud honked and a man shouting, followed quickly by two hands halted her back and she realized that she was almost hit by a car, as she absentmindedly walked. The next thing she knew, she was wrapped protectively in an embrace and she found herself crying due to fear and panic.

"Shh… It's okay. You're safe…"

Laura heard the sweet consoling words of a familiar voice, she felt relieved and protected as the arms of this person shielded and saved her. 

She never expected to feel this way…

For the first time in her life, she felt someone really cares for her and she feels safe in this person's warm tight embrace.

TBC


	14. Three's A Crowd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation from the previous chapter. 
> 
> Laura was glad that Danny came to visit and was not stuck with her irritating housemate. Danny was happy to discover that she and Laura had something in common: the love of running outside and sweating. While on the other hand Carmilla was surprised and suddenly found herself feeling different kinds of emotions that she never felt before.

Their regular bickering and bantering had been a part of their daily coexistence and Carmilla thought that an annoyed little Cupcake was cute and entertaining. There were a lot of times that she attempted to be nice but she always ends up irritating the blonde, and Laura's reactions were always tempting. 

But when Carmilla stepped out of the house to follow Laura, she knew that she had really crossed the line, again, and definitely pissed the blonde in some way that she did not know would make Laura really mad. 

She ran her hands nervously through her thick dark locks and clenched her jaws.

I'm sorry Cutie...

I'm sorry Cutie for being an ass.

She repeated the sentence over and over in her head as she strode towards where Laura ran.

It does not matter if she will look like an emotional ass for telling Laura she was sorry. It does not matter if her cool image will be destroyed. It does not matter if Laura will think that she was a softy. It does not matter if she will show her feelings. The most important thing now was to make Laura feel better. To show Laura that she cares for her. And to tell Laura that she wants her to be-

Her worrying was halted and she got startled when she heard a loud, annoying persisting honking from a car.

Laura?!

She recalled the first time she and Laura met. She was driving like a maniac and full of rage that she almost hit her while Laura crossed the street absent-mindedly.

Her heart pounded so hard that it felt like it was going to come out of her chest. She ran as fast as her feet can, knowing that Laura can be oblivious.

Don’t you fucking die on me, Cupcake! I haven't tell you yet how much-

Everything fell apart and she felt deprived of having to tell everything she feels now when her eyes caught the sight of her best friend hugging Laura protectively in those long arms. 

What the-?

Of course, being a member of Silas University track and field women's team, Danny Lawrence can run faster than her. And right now, she felt totally stripped of her charm as her best friend beat her from saving Laura, and she lost the chance of showing Laura that she actually cares.

She balled her fists and clenched her jaw as she witnessed from afar how Laura clung to Danny's arms while her best friend ran her hands through Laura's back while whispering soothing words.

Not wanting to look like a pathetic fool, and blaming herself for being carried away of her emotions, she turned around before the two notices her and strode to the opposite side of the road. She took out her phone and hit the number that she knew can help her feel better. 

*****

"Don't be scared, I'm here…" Danny whispered as she felt Laura shaking. She let the blonde sob in her arms and did not release her. She felt suddenly this urge to protect Laura even if she had just met her lately. "I will take care of you," she blurted out of nowhere and kissed gently Laura's scalp.

It's been a long time since someone hugged her like this; Laura sobbed without any reservation and did not care if Danny will think that she was a cry baby. Danny's arms feel warm, convenient and safe. She let out all the emotions that she bottled inside her since she cannot control them anymore. 

When she had cried enough and no tears were left, she gently wiped her eyes with her bare hands, and she felt Danny reluctantly released her from their tight embraced. Her eyes met right away the bluest and kindest gaze. She felt warmth rushing to her face and got temporarily speechless. The last time a person looked at her like this, she fell in love with her. Still sniffling, she held Danny's gaze and relished the warmth it invoked in her. 

Laura blinked many times while Danny stared at her with the same intensity. Realizing that it was already getting awkward, she reluctantly broke from the gaze and focused her eyes on Danny's wet shirt, in front of her.

"Oh my gosh… I'm sorry I cried all over your shirt," was her excuse, after successfully saving herself from the embarrassment of gazing too much.

Danny chuckled, "You almost got hit by a car, and you're worried about my shirt?"

She grinned and flashed a sheepish smile. "Because I'm not used to crying in someone's arms, and when you hugged me I feel…"

Danny's eyes widened in expectation, "Feel what?"

"I feel safe," was her honest reply and looked down. Suddenly she felt a finger lifted her chin and she came face to face with Danny again.

"My arms will always be here for you to cry on," Danny remarked her voice low and sincere.

Laura sighed with relief and tilted her head lower before looking at the tall redhead under those thick lashes and smiled. "T-thanks… I… I'll keep that in mind" was her sheepish reply.

"Shall we go back to the house?" Danny asked stretching an arm for Laura to take. "Maybe Carmilla is already worried that we haven't come back yet."

She snorted and gave Danny a sarcastic grin before taking Danny's offered hand. "I doubt if she's worried at all. Excuse me for telling this, but your best friend is one of the selfish and unsympathetic people that I ever met," she was about to add, 'next to my father'. But she managed to control herself. 

"Well, I know that Carmilla can be a pain in the ass," the tall redhead claimed. "But she's really sweet, generous and caring if you get to know her better."

She lifted her left eyebrow in questioning silent, not convinced at all of the qualities that Danny described the brunette. "I don't know, but Carmilla seemed to be the opposite of all that you mentioned whenever she's around me." 

Danny let out a resigned sigh. "I thought you two had already gotten along fine after living together… it turns out, it got worse."

"If you only knew…" she had the itch to tell Danny every naughty thing that the royal brat had done to her. But she knew that it will be childish of her to do that, and she does not want Danny and Joyce to worry. She and Carmilla should fix their problem.

"I really don't have any clue why Carmilla is acting like a jerk around you," Danny related, trying to find a way to make this two become 'friends'. "But I know her. Her sarcasm can be too much sometimes but-"

"Not sometimes… all the time," Laura corrected, as they walked along the sidewalk leading to the Lawrence's house.

Danny glanced at the blonde and shrugged her shoulders, "Alright, maybe you're right, she's been broody and mega sarcastic lately," and then she remembered what Carmilla had been going through lately. "Ell just broke up with Carmilla, and she's hurting. That's why she's been acting like an ass lately. And then, Carmilla's mother froze all her bank accounts and canceled all her credit cards; that's why she feels angry lately because she's totally broke."

"Doesn't she work?" was her curious remark.

"She's supposed to work with her mother in their family business… oops," Danny explained, as she tried to avoid the little boy that ran towards them, while holding Laura's hand, and lost contact with the blonde's hand. But she smiled when Laura reached for her hand afterwards and held it tight again. "After graduation, she asked her mother to have a break first before 'taking over' the family business. Her mother agreed and gives her allowance while unemployed. But she got distracted with Ell and didn't work right away."

"…And her mother continued to give her money, lucky bastard," she can't help herself and had to say it. She caught the grin on Danny's face after saying 'lucky bastard'. "So, what made her mother realized that she had been spoiling her darling daughter too much already?"

"Because the dean-" Danny was telling but caught the puzzled expression of the blonde. "Oh, I'm sorry… everybody's calling Carmilla's mother the dean because her mom was the former dean of Silas university before becoming a successful business woman.

"Oh," Laura uttered, Carmilla's life seemed interesting. The more Danny tells her a story, about Carmilla, the more she understands why Carmilla was acting like the way she was now. "So, you were saying…" she nodded to Danny to continue.

"Umm… where were we?" the redhead said and paused for a while. "Oh yeah… the dean had asked Carmilla to do something but she refused it, that's why her allowance was cut off and the dean temporarily disinherited Carmilla, until she does what her mother ordered her."

"Well, why can't your best friend just work in her mother's business, so that she could have her life back?" was Laura's innocent question. 

"That's not what the dean wants now," Danny commented but suddenly realized that she was telling too much. "I'm sorry Laura, but it's too personal now, and I can't tell you the real reason since I'm not sure if Carmilla wants everybody to know about her fate, other than me and Laf and Perry."

She nodded in agreement, "I understand…" and before she could talk further, they already found themselves by the door of the Lawrence's residence.

Danny opened the door at once and released Laura's hand gently. "Hey, I already found her…" she said at once, as soon as she opened the door wide and crossed the threshold. She got carried away by her emotions and just wanted to save Laura from the car that was about to hit the blonde, that she forgot Carmilla went out too; and ran after Laura. But Carmilla looked disconcerted while going after Laura that the brunette did not notice a car driving closer to where Laura was about to cross. Luckily, she was alert and ran passed through Carmilla to save Laura. She was expecting that Carmilla might have returned to the house and already pacing to and fro, waiting for them because her best friend was worried too.

"See! What did I tell you?" was Laura's unsurprised and yet disappointed reaction after discovering that no one was waiting at the house.

"But she's worried about you too," Danny tried to convince Laura. "She even-"

"Sweetie, your home!"

The excited voice of Joyce resonated through the house.

"Mom!" Danny exclaimed and walked towards her mother and hugged her tight.

"Hi, Joyce!" was Laura's chirpy remark and waved.

"Where have you two been? And where's Carmilla?" Joyce asked, scanning the house.

Not wanting to bother her host, "We just had a walk," Laura chimed in and glanced at the redhead.

Danny understood at once and put her arms around her mother's shoulder. "…And I haven't eaten yet since I left the dorm. What's for dinner?"

*****

 

"Is the drama over?" 

Was the phrase that greeted Laura at once, as she arrived at the dining area and caught sight of the 'vampire' housemate of hers sitting on a chair on the other side of the table, one leg raised on the chair and sipping from a plastic tumbler, looking bored as fuck and sarcastic as always.

"You know, if you don't have any sensible thing to say, I suggest that you continue brooding on that chair on the corner," was Laura's equally sarcastic reply as she fills her plastic bottle with water from the tap. She was thankful that she did not see Carmilla last night after they return and felt relieved today that the royal brat did not join them for breakfast, or else her day was ruined again.

The tension in the room was cut short when they both saw the tall figure of Danny approaching them.

"Hey, Carmilla! We've been looking for you last night, where did you go?" Danny asked, still catching her breath and walked towards where Laura was and filled also the plastic bottle that she had in her hand with tap water.

"I can't stand too much drama, so I went out to unwind," Carmilla retorted and sipped extra hard from her drink to create as much noise as she can. She just stared at the little Cupcake and wait for her to explode. A wicked smirk formed at the corner of her mouth when she saw Laura cringed at the irritating sound of an almost empty tumbler, and sipped continuously from the straw. "So, what did you two dimwits been up to?"

"Laura asked me to jog with her," Danny returned, all smile and gazed at Laura. "I didn't know that you have a good stamina to keep up with me."

"Working in a vineyard is laborious. It's like a marathon," Laura recalled how hard it was to be on hands on running their vineyard. She had the choice to delegate the dirty work of planting and harvesting to the workers, but she discovered that she enjoyed most the physical part of managing their family's business than just sitting inside the office and signing papers. "My body had been trained in hard work from the start, so it's easy for me to run long miles."

"No wonder you got killer arms!" Danny expressed and stared at the now blushing blonde.

Laura gave Danny a timid grin, not used to hearing a compliment, and gazed at the tall redhead and batted her eyelashes. "Thanks…" she said and felt warm as she noticed Danny was about to touch her arm.

Suddenly, Carmilla felt a strange and yet strong surge of emotion taking over her as this scene transpired right in front of her. She furrowed her brows, clenched her jaw and glared at Danny, while she held the plastic tumbler like she was about to choke someone. How dare her best friend touch Laura's arm! …the arms that held her once when she was scared of those thunder and lightning! …the arms that soothingly embraced her tight and consoled her! …and the warm arms that she had been longing to feel again! Overcome with this strong emotion and the sight of someone touching Laura… she rose from her seat and demanded... 

"Don't touch her!"

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your comments and kudos. Updating is slow because I still have another story that I write… if there are good, long reasons that I should prioritize this fic feel free to let me know. Or else, I tend to update this when I'm feeling sarcastic, wicked and taking a break while trying to think of something more insane to write on FRL.


	15. Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation from the previous chapter. 
> 
> Carmilla and Laura were beginning to feel the pressure of refusing to obey their parent's demand. Would they give in or continue to challenge their parents?

An awkward silence fell into the room as two pairs of wide eyes focused on her direction. Carmilla's unexpected reaction seemed to transfix and bound her best friend and her cute annoying housemate on their feet.

Fuck.

She cursed herself for being carried away with her feelings. 

You're one hell of a fuck up Karnstein!

This definitely goes to top ten of her most awkward moments. 

Surprisingly, she was also shocked of what came out from her mouth! 

What the fuck happened?

She furrowed her brows and tried to recall the incident. But she got distracted when she heard someone cleared its throat. Instead of finding out who the culprit was, she avoided any eye contact and put on her broody condescending face; the one that drives away the people around her when she doesn't want to talk to anybody, while she tried to come up with an excuse.

It was just a slip… or was it not? 

Fan-fuckin-tastic!

She cannot even recall what happened in the last ten seconds of her life! 

How am I supposed to convince these dimwits?

She hated herself as she struggled to reason with her feelings and mind… the mind that controlled her body movements… the mind that ordered her to shout those three fucking words… the mind that put her in this embarrassing position! But this was not the right time to berate herself and wallow in her imbecility. She had to think quickly of an excuse and save her ass from this unpleasant scenario.

A couple of wicked ideas came into her mind…

A distraction could be a perfect escape… but what kind? 

If only she was in the middle of her asthma attack.

Nope.

How about blaming Laura for having such a hot well-toned muscles in any parts of her holy body-

Not helping.

Maybe telling Danny that their house was hunted by a ghost girlfriend that followed her everywhere and it got jealous…

No. Her best friend might kill her for seducing the ghost and taking it with her to the Lawrence's house.

She needed a more convincing excuse.

How about being possessed by one of her ancestors from the medieval times and being used as a medium to summon its reincarnated beloved? 

That would definitely blow up their minds and-

Hold it right there.

Suddenly, she got stunned as a fragment of her dream reappeared in her thoughts after realizing the connection of her dream and the idea.

What's going on?

Was it a product of her subconscious that the princess in her dream looked exactly like Laura? Or was this a loophole in the law of reincarnation and her mind managed to recall a fragment from her past life?

Or she was just simply going insane.

"Carmilla?"

Feeling rudely interrupted from her contemplation, "What?" she hissed and found herself looking at Danny and shooting daggers at her.

"Care to explain why you shouted at me like that? 

She felt her blood drained all over her body as Danny's question snapped her back to reality and she found herself in this 'nearly peed in my pants' awkward moment again. There was no way in hell that she could escape this conversation, as her eyes search for the nearest exit and found the only door behind Danny. When she caught two pairs of eyes glaring at her and demanding an answer, she suddenly lost her wits and sarcasm. Growing desperate… 

If there's really a God, now is the time to show me some miracles…

Carmilla was about to utter a word when they all got startled by the door opening and hit Danny a bit, which resulted for the tall redhead to step aside to see who was it. She released the breath she was holding when she saw the angel that God sent her.

Thank you. Carmilla smirked and glanced up discreetly.

"Hi girls, is everything alright?" was Joyce confused remark and looked at the three who seemed to be all tensed. "Did I miss something?" And there was just silence. When no one replied… "Laura, there's a young man looking for you, he said it's important and wanted to talk to you alone. He's already in the living room waiting for you."

Just as they were all about to leave the room, Carmilla felt her phone vibrated and reached at once to her back pocket. She did not usually answer her calls right away, but if it would make her escape easier, she would gladly talk to whoever called her, even if it was her mother.

"Excuse me, I gotta take this call," Carmilla made it looked like it was a very important call, as she waved her phone to them, then put it on her ear, "Hello? Can you hold on a sec?" and then slipped out of the dining room in an elegant cat-like style. On her way out, she caught sight of a naïve looking beefcake sitting on the couch. She furrowed her brows and wondered how he could be related to Laura. When she made eye contact with him, the guy smiled like a happy puppy that wanted to play. She glared at him instantly and stomped towards the door ignoring him. Once the fresh air hit her face, she glanced at the screen of her phone and smirked when she saw who the caller was.

"Do you have my money?" Carmilla asked, not even bothering to greet the person on the other line. She had been calling and sending Will all kinds of messages, asking him if she could borrow more money since she was running short lately.

"And hello to you too, Kitty," Will replied. "How have you been?"

"Cut the bullshit Will!" she hissed at him, irritated at her brother's cool approached, while she walked a little further towards the fence, to avoid anyone hearing their conversation. "I told you I need more. The money you gave me was not enough to-" 

"I'm sorry Kitty, but I can't lend you more," was Will's firm reply.

She kicked the grass beneath her after hearing her brother disagreed. "Fuck you, Will! I told you I'm going to pay you back double the money I borrowed," she shouted, her anger possessing her. "I'm going to fucking kill you once I see you-" 

"Well, you can kill me now so that Mother wouldn't have to," Will's voice turned serious. "Kitty, she froze my account too when she discovered that I lent you some money and bought you some groceries using my credit card."

"That woman is crazy!" she exclaimed, after realizing how powerful and nosy her mother was. "That's your own money; she cannot do that to you!"

"That’s the disadvantage of having a mother with friends in the bank sector. So, unless you agree to the betrothment that she's offering you, we two are just two striving adults who are both broke and living with their friends."

"Wait, did she kick you out of your apartment too?" She asked, knowing that her mother gave Will a flat too, even if Will was working and earning his own money. 

"My apartment is also under her name, just like yours. So technically, Mother still owns it," was Will's bitter reply.

The truth stabbed her. It's either she started taking her life seriously and begin finding a job, or obey her mother. But right now she was too angry to make a decision and felt sorry that her brother was dragged into her problem.

"Where are you staying now? Are you alright?" her voice mellowed as she tried to control her temper. 

"I'm staying with some of my friends. And I still got my job, so the salary is enough to pay my share of rent and bills, but not enough to lend you the money that you need."

"Hey, it's cool. Don't worry about it. I'll find ways," she reassured him.

"Let me know when you're ready to face Mother, so I could personally escort you and help you choose the ring-"

"I told you I am not doing it!" she shouted and then hanged up.

*****

"Kirsch!"

Laura shouted once she recognized the young man that refused to give his name to Joyce.

"Little nerd!" 

Kirsch replied and rose from the couch and walked towards the direction of Laura's. He was enveloped right away in a warm tight hug and felt that a thorn had just been released from his heart.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Laura exclaimed after releasing from the embrace. Once she was over with her excitement, she realized that the Lawrences were standing around them and watching them with curiosity and delight.

"Kirsch, I want you to meet Joyce and Danny, they are the wonderful people that offered me their house and considered me as part of their family," Laura give way for Kirsch to shake hands with Joyce and then Danny.

"It's so nice to meet you, Laura's new family," he said, giving them a wide and over-enthusiastic smile.

"Kirsch is my childhood best friend and one of the people that I trust most," Laura uttered and gave Joyce a knowing look before darting to Danny. Joyce gave her a discreet nod, after exchanging glances with her.

"Sweetie, why don't you help me prepare something to eat so that Laura could catch up with her friend," Joyce suggested, as she tried to catch Danny's attention, who seemed to be focused on Laura's. "Danny?"

"Umm… yes Mom," was Danny's hesitant reply. But before following her mother, "Just call me if you need anything," she told Laura and received that gorgeous smile instantly from the blonde.

"I will, thanks, Danny," Laura said and motioned for Kirsch to take a sit, while she sat beside him. When she knew that they were finally alone, "Kirsch, what happened? Why are you here? Are you alright? Did my father hurt you?"

"I'm sorry Laura if I disturbed you here-"

"No! You didn't disturb me at all. I'm actually happy to see you," Laura reassured him and held his hand. "I thought you lost my address here. What took you so long to visit? How are my father and my cousin?" she said and can't help to ask about her family despite hating her father.

"I have to lay low for a while," Kirsch's excitement faded. "Because after your father discovered that you ran away, he sent some men in our house and asked my parents if we were hiding you in my house, or if we knew where you are."

"Oh, god Kirsch, I'm sorry… please tell your folks that I'm sorry for troubling them," she felt bad for dragging her best friend's family into her mess.

"Don't worry, I didn't tell anyone… and I can't tell my folks that you're sorry, because I told them that I haven't seen nor knew where you are," Kirsch informed and displayed a reassuring smile, while he put a hand over Laura's hand that was holding his other one. "I'll keep quiet as long as it will make you safe."

"Thanks, I'm really glad that you understand my situation," Laura returned with a bitter smile. "Have you heard anything from our home? How about Betty? Is she alright?"

"I haven't seen her lately, especially after you left," Kirsch explained and then smirked. "All I know is, your cousin is always partying every night and trying to avoid your father's wrath. So, she's doing fine, I guess. "

She can't help but gasp at what she heard about her cousin. Elizabeth was not usually the party gal type. "How can she go to parties every night, when she needs to go to school the next morning?"

"I heard from one of the maids that your cousin had to temporarily stop from going to school since your father asked her to take your position in the vineyard. But she works mostly in the office," Kirsch explained. "I heard nobody wanted to take your position since they need to work closely with your father."

"Poor Betty," she sighed, guilt dawning on her. "Kirsch, I feel terrible for putting all of you in this horrible situation. If I hadn't run from home, everything would be alright."

"Oh no, please don't cry little nerd," Kirsch was ready to console her at once and wrapped his arms around her. "You don't need to feel bad. This isn't your fault."

Once she felt the comforting arms of Kirsch, she let the tears fall and sobbed in his arms.

Once she managed to pour out the pain that was dwelling inside her, she released from the embrace and rubbed her eyes dry with her hands.

"Maybe I should just follow my father, so that nothing will go wrong and no one will get hurt," was her unselfish remark.

"Hey, I thought you want to marry for love, and not for money?" Kirsch commented.

Laura felt like someone stabbed her heart after that reminder from Kirsch. She didn't realize that her best friend remembered everything she said before leaving their home. "I know… but if this is the outcome of my refusal-" 

"Then you might as well move to the North Pole or Antarctica," was Kirsch firm retort. "Laura, I know you… you like planning your life, and since we're young you already had this goal: marry a hottie that you love and the one who will give you all the cookies you want."

TBC


End file.
